Aquaculture huge success in Algerian desert
Like 2 Dislike 0 Published on 23 Apr 2017
(18 Apr 2017) LEADIN
Fish breeding in the desert has become so successful it's supplying cities all around Algeria.
It's going so well some traders are now selling the fish to other countries like Tunisia.
STORYLINE
The desert region of Bechar might be many miles from the coast of Algeria, but that doesn't stop its markets being well stocked with fish.
1,100 kilometres (684 miles) south west of the capital Algiers and just a few kilometres from the border with Morocco, this area has become home to an active aquaculture industry.
Here in the reservoir of the Jorf Altorba dam, fish are bred and caught almost everyday.
"There are two kinds: 'la grande bouche' and the bream," says fisherman Belkacem Mohamedi.
"We fish almost everyday, the quantity is not limited. Everyday in different parts", he says.
Mohamedi came from the region of Relizane and has been breeding fish since 2016. He sells to buyers from all around the country.
Sidali Khaldi is one such buyer. He's been buying fish from small investors and fishermen at the dam for six years and now even sells them abroad.
""I have markets in Algiers, and outside Algeria. We go to Tunisia," he says.
Such is the fascination with fishing in this desert region, tourists like Souad (who didn't give her last name) even come to witness it for themselves:
"I came from a coastal region but I've never seen this kind of fish, even in the market. It's not available in our region, it's just amazing to see this fish in the middle of the desert," she says.
As well as breeding fish in the reservoir, another form of aquaculture exists in basins contained inside buildings in the region.
These were built by local authorities to breed major kinds of tilapia.
It's a pilot project in order to train and attract local investors in the south west region of Algeria.
The Ministry of Fisheries' target is an annual production of 17,000 tonnes of fish in 2017.
"We've had two breeding operations since 2015 in favour of investors from the south west region: Bechar, Adrar and Tindouf", explains aquaculture specialist Mohamed Boudani.
"We bred more than 80,000 tilapia eggs. In this step we're trying to mix between aquaculture and desert agriculture. The Ministry made this plan so the consumer can enjoy rich proteins."
The Ministry breeds and sells the tilapia eggs to fish farmers and also makes the water the fish were kept in available to agriculture for its fertilising properties.
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