Development of small-scale fisheries in Yemen: An exploration

Yemen is one of the poorest countries in the world. The development of its fishery sector is increasingly being mentioned as a source of livelihood creation. The aims of this paper are to: (a) provide an overview of the institutional environment in which small-scale fishermen in Yemen operate; (b) investigate the constraints they face; and (c) discuss the potential role that co-operatives could play in such development. Small-scale fisheries in Yemen are increasingly important, yet they struggle with access to infrastructure, markets, and credit. We identify significant differences in the development of the fisheries sector in the two main fishing regions: the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Overall, local capacity within co-operatives needs to be improved and private sector development should be encouraged. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.