ALGERIA

1. INTRODUCTION

The development of small aquaculture units began at the end of the 19th century in Algeria. These first traditional farmers disappeared due to the lack of supports. The coastal waters are underexploited, although not very productive in comparison with other Mediterranean regions. Several inland water bodies are fished but offer only marginal yields. There are so major rivers and only on e coastal lagoon, limiting the potential for aquaculture employing natural sites (Report of the UNDP/FAO evaluation mission).

2. CURRENT STATE OF AQUCULTURE

Present aquaculture activities are limited; two government operated aquaculture centres have been set up under the Ministry of Agriculture: Lac Mellah fish farm (865 ha of brackish water) and Mazafran station.

2.1 Lac Mellah

Lac Mellah fish farm is due to become Algeria's first marine fish hatchery (Report of the UNDP/FAO evaluation mission). It received great assistance from MEDRAP for the conceptions and plans of the hatchery and fattening unit for sea bass but up to present only the fattening units are in construction.

ENAPECHE (Entreprise National de la Pêche) has the control of the lake. In the lake, traditional lagoonal fishing is carried out. Fish catch decreased from 1981 to 1984: mullet from 50 kg/ha/year to 37 kg/ha/year and sea bass from 5.5 kg/ha/year to 3.4 kg/ha/year (MEDRAP. TR/85/14). Shellfish production is very low; some trials have been carried out with the introduction of oysters and mussels: about 10 t of oysters and 8 t of mussels in 1984: 9 t of adult oysters and 8 t of spat in 1985–86. The 9 t of adult oyster which were bought to cons5titute a broodstock, were sold. A 50% rate of mortality have been observed in spat (MEDRAP. TR/87/14).

2.2 Mazafran station

A small freshwater aquaculture centre is located at Mazafran with the responsability for developing freshwater aquaculture, including lake stocking. From 1976–78 Algeria established a cooperation programme with the Peoples Republic of China. This programme included the reproduction and prefattening of carp for restocking purposes.

2.3 Other

There is another restocking programme concerning lakes and dams (ex. lake Ouberia 2 200 ha).

The cooperation programme with the Peoples Republic of China also included trials on larval rearing of Penaeus kerothurus.

3. PROGRAMME

Algerian authorities scheduled for the year 2 000 a production of about 175 000 t of fish and sea production in general which means 5 kg/hab/year for an estimated population of 35 million.

Considering a production of 70 000 t/year from fishing activities, the aquaculture production should be about 100 000 t (Les potentialités de l'aquaculture en Algeria). The Algerian aquaculture development programme that was set up after study on the possibilities of aquaculture in Algeria, includes:

-   exploitation of lagoon areas (development of fish culture in Lakes Mellah and Oubeira);

-   improvement of fisheries;

-   aquaculture development;

-   improvement of fish culture in ponds (development planning for the Mazafran fish culture station);

-   restocking;

-   creation of a national office for aquaculture production and development;

-   training activities;

-   registry on a national level of the development of aquaculture farms, shellfish culture, fish ponds.

The programme is assured by public investment. It is only in the later stages of development that private individuals can invest in this activity (after the programme has proved itself valid at mastership level) (MEDRAP. TD/86/06).

4. PRODUCTION

The production is principally based on traditional lagoon fishing (115 t). The effects of aquaculture production are not yet tangible (MEDRAP. TD/86/06). Carp production in 1979 was 7 t, totally sold in the south of Algeria (Les potentialités de l'aquaculture en Algerie).

Two tons of oysters (Crossostrea giges) were produced in lake Mellah in 1981 (MEDRAP. FD/82/3).

Following official statistics seat by the Algerian Government to FAO total aquaculture production in 1984 was 107 t of which:

98.8 t fish (17.1 freshwater fish and 81.8 brackishwater fish)

0.1 t shrimp (P. kerathurus)

8.1 t shellfish

Concerning 17.1 of freshwater fish probably one part is represented by the production of Mazafran station (About 2 t) and the remaining part is derived by fishing activities in lakes and dams (15 t of Barbus sp., 0.1 t of Black bass). The 81.8 t of brackishwater fish (eels, soles, sea bass, sea bream, mullets).

Shellfish production is represented by 4.6 t of oyster (C. gigas) and 3.5 t of mussels (M. galloprovincialis) reared in lake Mellah.

On the basis of these data the total aquaculture production in Algeria in 1984 was :

(M. Vincke in press)

5. MARKETING

The production level is such that there is no problem of market sales. However, due to their prices, most species are not accessible to the average local population with the exception of grey mullet (MEDRAP. TD/86/06).

A certain quantity of eels is exported.

6. INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT

During the Third Advisory Committee meeting of MEDRAP, held in Casablanca in 1985, the Algerian delegate announced the creation of a National Aquaculture Department, in charge of the development of aquaculture production. (MEDRAP. FD/85/12).

7. RECOMMENDATION

The UNDP/FAO evaluation mission formulated the following recommendation:

“The ideal approach would be to devise a long-term development plan, integrating the production development requirements with the needed organizational staffing and economic requirement so that a cost-benefit assenssment could be made.”

REFERENCES

-   Report of the UNDP/FAO evaluation mission - July 1986

MEDRAP - TR/85/14 - Rapport de mission effectuée en Algérie du 15 au 23 avril 1985. Septembre 1985.

Les potentialités de l'aquaculture en Algérie. Rapport final. Etude France-Aquaculture. Fevrier 1981.

MEDRAP - TD/86/06. Seminar. Socio-Economic aspects of Aquaculture Development in the Mediterranean countries. Djerba (Tunisia) November 14–24 1985.

MEDRAP - FD/82/3. L'exploitation conchylicole du lac Mellah. Algerie. Juillet 1982.

MEDRAP. FD/85/12 - Report of the third advisory committee meeting of MEDRAP. Casablanca (Morocco) September 1985.

Report of the UNDP/FAO Evaluation Mission. July 1986.

OTHER MEDRAP REPORTS ON ALGERIA

TR/84/02 - Rapport de mission, El Kala, Algeria. Août 1984.

Contents : Analysis of different activities carried out by ENAPECHE

TR/84/04 - Projet pìlote d'El Kala. Compte rendu de la reunion du 18/12/1984. Décembre 1984.

Contents : Discussion on the programme of ENAPECHE concerning the hatchery and logoonal management.

TR/85/14 - Rapport de mission effectuée en Algérie du 15 au 23 avril 1985. Septembre 1985

Contents : Fishing activities in lake Mellah. Training activities with local fishermen.

TR/85/10 - Rapport de mission. Proposition d'étude pour la gestion piscicole du lac Oubeira, du barrage de la Cheffia et du barrage de Zardazas (Algérie) Juillet 1985.

Contents : Proposition for a study on the management of lake Oubeira, Cheffia and Zardazas dams.

TR/86/14 - Rapport de visite sur le lac Mellah, Novembre 1986.

Contents : Hydrobiological observation on lake Mellah.

TR/87/06 : Conchyliculture dans le lac Mellah (Algérie)

Contents : Observations on shellfish culture in lake Mellah.