Fishing in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has many lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. However, fishing contributed less than l percent of GDP in l987. The ten-year plan in l983/84 estimated that the country had the potential to produce more than 92,000 tons of fish -- 66,000 tons from the Red Sea and the remaining 26,000 tons from lakes and rivers. But actual production in l983/84 was estimated at 600 to l,200 tons.Wubne, Mulatu. "Fishing". " [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ettoc.html A Country Study: Ethiopia] " (Thomas P. Ofcansky and LaVerle Berry, eds.) Library of Congress Federal Research Division (1991). "This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain." [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/about.html] .] Ethiopia has currently no access to the Red Sea, and no direct access to its fisheries.

Fresh fish are consumed in the vicinity of the Great Rift Valley lakes. Outside these areas, however, the domestic market for fish is small. Two factors account for this low level of local fish consumption. First, fish has not been integrated into the diet of most of the population. Second, because of religious influences on consumption patterns, the demand for fish is only seasonal. During Lent, for example, Christians who abstain from eating meat, milk, and eggs consume fish.

ee also

*Agriculture in Ethiopia
*Economy of Ethiopia

References