Implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries for the demersal fisheries of the Mediterranean coast of Egypt: baseline report

Abstract

The Egyptian capture fisheries production from the Mediterranean Sea is showing a decreasing trend that began in 2008 and continued to the present. Most of the production comes from the capture of species in the coastal zone and over the continental shelf. The Egyptian Mediterranean fishing fleet is dominated by trawlers, which represent the backbone of the fleet in terms of both economic value and employment. Trawlers work from fishing ports along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast and are not restricted by geographic boundaries; consequently, the landed fish species cannot be attributed to certain fishing grounds or definite geographic areas. Trawl fisheries are essentially multispecies, targeting shrimps, common cuttlefish and some fish species like Mullus spp., soles, brushtooth lizard fish and species of the family Sparidae. Most of the stock assessments recommend a reduction of fishing mortality by about 40 percent, with the recommendations lower for some fisheries and higher for others. Trawlers mainly sell their production through wholesalers while the small-scale and artisanal vessels channel their production primarily through the fish market. Generally, fishery management in Egypt is challenged by the complex nature of the associated social-ecological systems.