(Personal research work)
Without trade the Gazan fisheries sector cannot develop.
The main commercial point for products in and out of Gaza is Karni (Almentar in Arabic) checkpoint. Export figures show that for one ‘Palestinian’ container out, four ‘Israeli’ containers come in – indicating a net transfer in favour of Israelis. Two months after the completion of unilateral Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip, an agreement was reached on 15 November 2005 between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The Agreement set an export target of 150 truckloads a day by the end of 2005. OCHA reports that in December 2005, 48 truckloads of goods left from Gaza, a figure well below the export target set in the 15 November Agreement.
Major hindrances to fish exports are:
- the stringent checks truckloads have to go through at the Karni check point to meet Israeli security concerns which make it difficult to export fresh fish, a very perishable good;
- the back to back loading system, by which goods are unloaded from one truck and reloaded onto another truck at the checkpoint;
- the lack of market outside Israel. No fish marketing is allowed from Gaza to the West Bank and the Jordan markets – where there is a high demand for fish;
and also,
- the unavailability of fish inspectors at the check point outside regular office hours;
- the lack of equipment and modern storage facilities for importing and exporting fish.
Another impediment is that Israeli imports into Gaza have precedence over Palestinian exports out of Gaza. OCHA reports that 22 of the 31 import and export channels at Karni are either exclusively for Israeli imports or with Israeli priority where dual passage occurs. This is in breach of the Paris protocol agreement that affirms the equality of treatment for Palestinian and Israeli goods. Presently Israel exports 1,300 tonnes of frozen fish and 900 tonnes of fresh fish into Gaza a year – mostly species not consumed in Israeli markets due to local dietary practices. It is estimated that an additional 800 tonnes of high value fish not accounted for in Palestinian statistics are sold a year to Israeli merchants waiting at some 10-15 kms off the coast of Gaza with the blessing of the IDF (Israeli Defence Force).
Trading fish by air is not an option, as air traffic out of Gaza is prohibited. By sea? Access to Gaza by sea is denied. As for the sea port in the Gaza Strip, its future is still uncertain. The 15 November Agreement stated that the construction of a seaport can commence but is not expected to be operational within two years. The importance of a port at Gaza to the Palestinian economy was agreed on by both sides at Oslo, as being necessary for the development of free foreign trade with other countries in the world. The work which began in August 2000, with European donors’ funds, was stopped after the outbreak of the Al Aqsa Intifada in October of that year because of the political and military situation. Now the sea port, better described as a shelter, needs rehabilitation. It is silting over with 650,000 tonnes of sand coming in each year. Seamus Dunne, Senior Social Development Officer for the International Management Group, a body working with the European Commission (DG Development) says a rehabilitated sea port would offer: better security (at the moment there are a lot of accidents walking to boats); better equipment and modern storage facilities for importing and exporting fish (provided that Israeli restrictions on trade are lifted), and; an additional 9 kms to fish. (to be continued)
