(Personal research work)
Fishing has a long tradition in Palestine with fishers operating from Haifa (now Israel) to Port Saïd (Egypt). In 1948, following the tragedy of Palestine, the Nakba, many Palestinian communities were forced to flee the coastal areas between Haifa and Jaffa and took refuge southwards in the Gaza Strip. The displaced Palestinians who lived off fishing continued to do so, joining the fishing population of the Strip. Nowadays, there are 2,500 fishers in the Strip of Gaza and a further 2,500 people employed in the fishing industry (e.g. fish marketing, boat services, boat repair and maintenance). Out of the 1,4 million Palestinians living in the Strip, it is estimated that approximately 35,000 people rely on the fishing industry as a source of income or food.
The fisheries sector is relatively small compared to the major fisheries of neighbouring countries. But for the economy of Gaza, which has a high unemployment rate and suffers severe shortage of job opportunities, the fisheries sector is a significant source of employment and is an important source of high protein food. Fishing aside, there is no other real industry in Gaza. The hothouses, transferred as a gift to the Palestinian Administration, still have to prove their economic viability. There is doubt whether the export of their produce abroad by the Palestinians will succeed, as they do not enjoy the special privileges settlers had in terms of water use and border crossings.
Fishing activities along the Gaza Strip are carried out in four main fishing sites: Gaza City, where most fishers are, Deir El Balah, Khan Yunis and Rafah which altogether count around 1,100 fishers. Since 1967, the year Israel occupied the Strip, fishing activities became severely controlled and restricted. to be continued. (Email me for bibliographical references)
