Losses of Fisheries Sector in Yemen…Huge Numbers and Catastrophic Results

Last updated Mar 7, 2018

YemenExtra

By : Shefa’a Abdullah

The fisheries sector in Yemen, which is considered one of the most important sectors of the Yemeni economy, was not excluded from the circle of the Saudi-led coalition’s targeting, causes humanitarian disasters that had never occurred before.

The latest reports issued by the Ministry of Fisheries in Yemen indicate a large amount of losses,because of the crimes committed by the coalition , confirms that the losses of the fish sector as a result of direct targeting of fishermen and boats, ports and landing points of fish over three years, amounted to four billion and 586 million and 301 thousand dollars.

Losses of the fisheries sector in Yemen,huge numbers and catastrophic results:

*Boats on the coast of Hodeida port city,burning after bombing by coalition’s jets*

The number of martyrs of fishermen who were attacked by the bombing of the coalition was killed 151 and wounded 45 others.

The number of fishermen who lost their sources of income 36 thousand and 688 fishermen, while the number of those who lost their jobs of employees 96 and the number of auxiliary workers 18 thousand and 652 workers.

The number of fishing boats destroyed by the coalition reached 222 boats with a loss of five million and 248 thousand and 536 dollars.

While the number of boats that stopped their activity as a result of the targeting of landing sites, four thousand and 586 boats, mostly in Midi district of Hajjah province and the departments of Dhubab, Bab al-Mandab and Mukha in Taiz province, where the loss of production billion and 58 million and 312 thousand dollars.

*Targeting fishing boats in the coast of Yeme*

It also caused direct damage to the livelihood of more than two and a half million citizens of coastal cities and villages along the coastal strip, in addition to the average annual per capita consumption of fish at the level of the Republic, where it reached two and a half kg instead of 14 kg to be 85% .

The bombardment on infrastructure of Midi and Hima ports,and 11 fish landing sites, as well as the center of exports caused losses of 13 million, 32 thousand and 558 dollars.

The number of establishments whose activities have ceased due to the decline of fish production,reached to more than 50 different establishments between factory, preparation plant and others, resulting in losses of five million and 262 thousand dollars.

*Yemeni fisher man under the rubble of his hay house*

The direct targeting of villages and fishing communities by aviation and warships resulted in a large wave of displacement that had a disastrous impact on the areas that were displaced, especially as fishermen are among the poorest in society.

Losses of industries and services associated with fish activity amounted to 8 million, 269 thousand and 442 dollars, while losses in fees and customs amounted to 42 million, 332 thousand, 484 dollars.

Since the night of March 26, 2015, the Saudi-led coalition fighter jets started its attacks on the capital Sana’a, marking the first massacres on civilians in a residential neighborhood near Sana’a International Airport.

A series of violations and crimes continued at all levels in all the Yemeni cities, provinces and villages under coalition’s targeted daily directly and indirectly as well as the people, with a suffocating siege and systematic destruction of the infrastructure and economic and everything related to human life.