UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The immediate objectives of the Semhar Fisheries Rehabilitation Project have largely been achieved. The fishing fleet has been rehabilitated through the refurbishment of existing boats and the purchase of new ones, and the sector has been revitalized due, in large measure, to project activities. Progress towards achieving the long-term development objectives has been greatly aided by this project through the tangible outputs of infrastructure and the production throughput. Whereas the contribution of the fisheries sector at the start of the project was insignificant, data for 1999 show that, though still small, the contribution of the fisheries sector has grown to a significant 10% of the agricultural sector. The latter's percentage of GDP1 is 16%. This was made possible by construction of various infrastructural facilities, resulting in improved income of fishermen and crew, increased availability of fish in the local market and increased exports of high quality fish. After decades of economic de-coupling from the rest of Eritrea, the coastal areas and the Dahlak Archipelago were a high priority of the Provisional Government of Eritrea at the time the Semhar Project was being formulated in that these areas had to be brought back into the economic mainstream of the country. Hence, the inclusion in the project document of social objectives ─ such as improving the incomes and quality of life for fishing communities through health and educational infrastructure and services. These objectives were too broad to be addressed under a fisheries project and were later deleted from the project plans. A second project, the Capacity Building Project, was initiated after the extent of shortage of planning, managerial and informatics skills was recognised. Assessment of the sustainability of activities flowing from the two projects since their closure is hampered in part by the border conflict with Ethiopia. Many able bodied men and women in the Ministry of Fisheries as well in the fishing communities have been drafted into the National Service thus affecting the progress of project activities. Though these two projects have been at the core of the transformation of the fisheries sector in Eritrea and the assistance is appreciated, the need for continued help to propel the development in a self-sustaining manner is still very much in evidence. These needs are for more infrastructure facilities, not so much in larger cities of Massawa and Assab, but in the fishing communities themselves. Development assistance is also acutely needed in capacity building and skills training, in particular, the development of scientific and analytical skills as well as financial and managerial skills. These skills are needed by the Ministry cadres as well as by the fishermen's co-operatives download.