World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

REVIEW ON THE STATUS OF FISHERY RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND UTILIZATION IN ETHIOPIA

Nega Mekonnen* and Shibabaw Bejano

ABSTRACT

Ethiopia is a country with the largest livestock populations in the Africa. The livestock sector accounts for over 26 percent of agricultural GDP, 8 percent of export earnings and can produce over 51,500 t of fish per annum. However, their exploitation and consequently their contributions to food security and growth in the country are minimal. Ethiopia's many lakes, rivers, and reservoirs and its approximately 960 kilometers of Red Sea coastline are fertile fishing grounds. 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 tones.Artisanal freshwater fishery is one of the most important economic activities in Ethiopia. Improvements in fishery sector would contribute to poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability in Ethiopia.

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