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Despite the great bounty of the sea, fish is increasingly becoming a luxury product for the inhabitants of the wilaya of Tizi Ouzou. This is, among others, the example of the sardine, which was previously accessible to everyone and whose price sometimes records records during certain periods. Currently, the consumer is asked to pay a price of 1,500 DA for a kg of this product while normally, it is prohibited to fish as its size is too small to be consumed.
In its report, the commission for agriculture, hydraulics, forests, fishing and tourism of the APW of Tizi Ouzou underlines that “regional fish production remains insufficient and results in low fish consumption which is of the order of 04 kg per inhabitant per year, while the average in the other countries of the Mediterranean basin reaches 23 kg per inhabitant per year”. “The weakness of this production and consumption limits the contribution of the sector to the economy of our wilaya in particular and the national economy in general,” the authors of this report further note.
And while insisting on the fair and numerous measures to be taken in favor of fishermen based on the principle of the Blue economy strategy to run until 2032 launched by the government, this APW commission pointed out that among other problems in the fishing sector, there is that of “the actions of certain members of the chamber of fishing”. The APW commission did not name any of these officials “causing problems for fishermen,” according to it. “These actions” are not cited in their exact nature either.
For its part, the Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DPA) of the wilaya placed emphasis, in its report, on the physical situation of its sector and certain hazards encountered and for which it is not necessarily responsible. In terms of fish production, the Tizi Ouzou DPA notes that the average annual production over the last ten years is around 860 tonnes per year, spread over four groups of species, in this case white fish, blue fish, crustaceans and molluscs. Blue fish dominate with 70% of landings. And during the past year (2024), according to the DPA report, a production of 433.1 tonnes was recorded which is distributed by groups of species as follows: crustacean: 39.2 tonnes, or 09%, mollusk: 8.8 tonnes, or 2%, blue fish: 287.8 tonnes, or 66% and white fish: 97.3 tonnes, or 23%. Regarding the evolution of production, between 2000 and 2024, the highest production was recorded in 2012 with 1,666 tonnes.
The lowest, which is 281.687 tonnes, took place in 2021. That of the past year (2024) is 433.12 tonnes. As for aquaculture production alone, the report notes that the entry into activity of the first aquaculture farms in 2022, in this case a fish farm and another in shellfish farming, made it possible to produce a quantity of 270 tonnes of sea bream and mussels during the year 2023. It is the same during this year 2024. This aquaculture production, coming in addition to the production from maritime fishing, has allowed “a considerable increase in the overall production of the wilaya to reach nearly 1,000 tonnes in 2023”.
On the aquaculture aspect, the report mentions that 19 marine aquaculture concessions were granted by the State. More precisely, there are 12 fish farming concessions, 6 shellfish farming concessions and one coral farming concession. However, 12 decisions of these concessions are canceled and two others are in the process of being canceled on the grounds of non-operation. In terms of continental aquaculture, the report mentions that the water potential which is 05 dams, 83 hill reservoirs and 113 irrigation basins, the seeding operations, numbering 17 in the dams, led to the seeding of 1.77 million fry/brooders, and 11,003 alvins/breeders through 38 operations in the irrigation basins.
As part of this inland fishing, the State has granted 30 concessions since 2008 to this day to fishing professionals. Total production since 2008 has been 523 tonnes, or a quantity of 30 tonnes per year on average. Regarding the investment component, the report mentions that for public investment for new programs, there are two operations which are included in the sector indicator.
This involves the creation and equipment of two seats for fishing antennas. One in Azeffoun and the other in Tigzirt. The DPA report notes “that after the constraints were lifted, the ODS (service orders) to start work for the two projects were issued on May 15, 2025, and the work is currently underway.” Concerning the old programs, and within the framework of that of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Fund (FNDPA), two centralized operations are subject to registration.
The first concerns the study, construction and equipment of a tide market at the port of Tigzirt. The work was stopped in 2019 for administrative reasons. The progress rate of the work at the time of its cessation was 68.5%. The second operation concerns the creation of a stranding site in Ibahrizen, in the commune of Aït-Chaffaï. This project has also been on hold since May 30, 2014 due to problems with access to the production site.
29 private projects
Regarding private investments, it should be noted that as part of the economic recovery support program, subsidized by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Fund (FNDPA), the wilaya of Tizi Ouzou, according to the DPA, benefited from 29 projects whose total amount is estimated at 1,594,197,284.70 DA and the overall amount of subsidies is of the order of 691,634,277 DA, or a rate of 43.38% of the overall cost of the projects. These projects are distributed as follows: an aquaculture farm, a 25.2 meter tuna seiner, six integrated projects bringing together 8 trawlers and 3 refrigerated trucks, 6 sardine boats, 13 small crafts, an integrated project consisting of a fish market and a refrigerated truck and finally, a refueling station.
As for the projects initiated within the framework of the various schemes, there are 114 of them. The achievements concern 60 small trades, and this by financing within the framework of national solidarity, 18 are financed within the framework of NESDA (ex-ANSEJ) which relate to 04 purse seiners and 14 small trades, and within the framework of the CNAC and ANGEM formulas, the implementation concerned 36 projects. These are 9 seiners, 26 small crafts and 1 boat engine. It should also be noted that there are two projects in progress, within the framework of self-financing. This is a small job and the acquisition of a sardine boat for this year 2025.
Still within this framework of achievement, the DPA notes that in the field of marine aquaculture, the wilaya of Tizi Ouzou has 04 projects of which 02 have entered into production, another relating to coral farming which is in progress and two other projects, one of which relates to shrimp farming and the other to fish farming are currently being studied.
In the context of continental aquaculture, a validated project is currently being put together. This is tilapia farming. Finally, it should be emphasized that neither the DPA nor the CAHFPT of the APW have reported all the factors responsible for the high price of fish and its non-availability in the desired quantity on the Tizi-Ouzian markets. The curiosity mainly concerns this last point which is directly responsible for the first. Indeed, if the price of fish constantly follows an upward curve, it is because it is not available in sufficient quantity.
As for the main reason, according to sources close to this matter, many fishermen send their catches to other countries. It’s like coral. The fish, of high quality of course, is subject to commercial transactions offshore and under cover of night. The currency of payment is in euros or dollars, we were told. Ultimately, it is not the Mediterranean Sea that disadvantages the Algerian fish consumer, but its own fishermen.