Installation works for the marine cage. ©FAO/Rafael DeLaSota

On 6 April 2020, fishers in the Gaza Strip witnessed the beginning of works to install an off-shore marine cage in Gaza’s waters. The marine cage, a first for Gaza, comes as part of efforts to strengthen the resilience of Gaza’ fishing communities by FAO with support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS)  and in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture.

The fisheries sector remains a significant source of employment in Gaza, amidst alarmingly high unemployment levels.  Fish is also a major source of essential nutrients for families in Gaza and contributes to food security and nutritional diversity. FAO is supporting the establishment of an offshore marine cage farm that will be managed as a social business owned by the fishing community. According to Ciro Fiorillo, head of the FAO office in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS), the marine cage farm is expected to produce approximately 150 tons of sea bream per year, contributing an additional 4-5 percent to the local fish market. ‘’This will increase revenue and profits generated by fishers, providing a sustainable flow of financial resources to be re-invested in the Gaza fisheries sector’’, he explained. The increased availability of fish will also make fish more affordable for consumers, improve consumption levels and dietary diversity, and contribute to the growth of exports and income earned by the fishing community.

‘’The marine cage farm will be established, managed and operated by a social business, owned and governed by the Gaza Fisheries Syndicate, which represents all 3 700 active fishers along the coast of the Gaza Strip’’, added Azzam Ayasa, Head of FAO programme in the WBGS. FAO has been providing technical support to the syndicate and other fisheries-related institutions in Gaza, to enable them to successfully run the social business. This includes support in creation of an investment fund and training in business and management skills.

An increase in the availability of fish in the Gaza market is expected once the marine cage production begins to complement conventional fishing activities that have been essential in ensuring sustainable livelihoods for fishers in Gaza. More importantly, the success of this pilot is expected to demonstrate the feasibility of offshore marine fish farming and promote the growth of a new segment in the Gaza fishing industry.