Will the fish crisis and its soaring prices soon be history? Nothing indicates the contrary, taking into account the developments carried out within the framework of the various investment projects which have been launched. The last one, which was announced yesterday by the wilaya of Oran, is located at Cape Falcon in Aïn El Türck, on the western edge of Oran. “This is the second aquaculture project that has just been completed,” said the same source, highlighting at the same time “the completion of the installation of four floating cages”. The same source added that “this major project will produce an annual quantity equal to 600 tonnes of fish”.
The same is true for the first aquaculture project for the breeding of sea bass and gilthead sea bream which was approved and implemented at Cape Carbon in the commune of Arzew. The capacity of each of the two projects is estimated at 600 tonnes per cycle, the breeding cycle of sea bream and sea bass lasts between 12 and 14 months. By paying particular attention to this sector, particularly in the aspect linked to investment, five aquaculture projects, four at sea and one in fresh water, have seen the light of day in the wilaya of Oran. They will be operational this year. “This mainly concerns a sea bream and sea bass farming project, which will be established in Aïn El-Türck, and three shellfish farming projects (mussels and oysters) in the locality of Kristel and Arzew. ”, it was indicated. The first four projects have finalized all administrative procedures in 2023,” it was added, explaining that “spaces at sea and on land have been allocated to them.” These steps will be followed by the installation of floating cages, a step allowing the start of seeding, as was the case with the Cape Falcon project in the municipality of Ain El Türck, in the western corniche of the wilaya of Oran.
The wilaya of Oran benefited from a fifth project, the latter is a freshwater red tilapia breeding farm which will be located in Sidi Chahmi. And that’s not all. The production of farmed fish is therefore consolidated by a new aquaculture farm specializing in the production of red tilapia, a freshwater fish, which will enter production towards the end of next August. “This other project located in El Karma, consists of an aquaculture farm which must ensure an annual production of a quantity equal to 300 tonnes,” it was explained. “All of these projects are the result of private investments,” it was affirmed, emphasizing that the “authorities in charge of the development of the sector encourage these investments, in particular the breeding of red tilapia.” “This activity is booming in Algeria,” it was reported, stressing that “tilapia is a fish that is easy to farm and market.”
The wilaya of Oran has also granted all the necessary facilitations for the launch of three red tilapia breeding projects. These are projects relating to the production of red tilapia fry while the third concerns the fattening of this species of fish. The 2024 finance law is all the more encouraging as all of its articles and paragraphs unconditionally and without any administrative or financial hindrance encourage investment in this sector, particularly with regard to livestock and for the production of these types of fish, red tilapia, sea bream and sea bass. This law provides for a subsidy of 50 DA for each kilo produced of red tilapia and lower taxes ranging from 9 to 19% for investors.
