( sana’a 28th to 30th october,2002)

Under the high patronage of his excellence the President of Yemen Republic, the third Arab cogress of fisheries was held in Sana’a from 28th to 30th of October 2002.
This congress was organised in Yemen, by the Ministry of Fish Wealth, with the collaboration of the Arab Union of fish producers under the theme “ for a rational exploitation and a best protection of fish resources”.
This event witnessed the effective participation of the Ministers of Algeria, Djibouti, Mauritania and of course of Yemen, as well as of a high level representatives of 15 Arab countries. Also participated, national, international and district organisations representatives concerned with this sector.
The main thematic axis retained in the congress programme are:
- The Arab countries strategy in marine fishery;
- Legislation and laws regulating the sector;
- The experiences of each Arab country concerning the rationalisation of fisheries resources exploitation;
- Marine environment protection;
- Co-operation mechanism between Arab countries ;
- The Arab countries strategies in the field of marine fishery.

INFOSAMAK was represented in this congress by Mr. Abdellatif BELKOUCH, the Managing Director, who gave a presentation on the “ role and objectives of the center for the promotion and development of fishery products trade in the Arab region”.
Outside this forum, the INFOSAMAK Managing Director had a meeting with Dr. Ismail MIMOUN the Algerian minister of maritime fishery, with Mr. Ahmedou Ould Ahamedou the Mauritanian minister of fishery and maritime economy, as well as with Dr. Ali Hassan Al Ahmadi the Yemenite Minister of Fish Wealth. The points elaborated during these interviews focused essentially on : (1) the preparation and sitting of the center ordinary general Assembly in Tunis at the end of march, and on (2) the question of moral and financial support of the member countries towards the efforts undertaken by INFOSAMAK for the fishery products trade development in the Arab countries.
The presence of the general manager in this conference was also the opportunity to meet with the center companies partners in the framework of the common fund project for the base products ( CFC ) on “ the promotion of transformation of added value fishery products commercialisation in the Arab regions” and also discuss the progress report.
Due to the strategic importance that takes on the halieutic resources in self-sufficent nutrition, and in view to preserve and to grant them a long lasting development, the conference has retained among its recommendations the following :
- Create a high council for the halieutic resources under the leadership of the Arab league with it’s head quarter in Sana’a
- Make of the day of 28th October, the “ halieutic resources Arab day” which will be celebrated starting from the year 2003.
- Create data bases and information networks on halieutic resources for the Arab region. This task should be fulfiled by INFOSAMAK with the technical and material collaboration of the FAO, and benefiting from the experience of the Agronomic Information Emirate Center. By his occasion and for this purpose, an urgent call has been addressed to the non member countries, federations and to the whole public and private operators to support and join the infosamak center.
- Encourage investments and promote fishery products trade between the Arab countries.