Fishermen's groups oppose fishing law, call for environmental rules
Fishers' associations and unions in Lebanon are facing widespread protests against the "Marine Fishing and Aquaculture Law" bill, which was approved in August 2023. They confirmed that the bill was passed arbitrarily and without genuine participation from fishermen or local expertise. Its roots go back to an old law from 1929, with only superficial amendments, and it includes provisions that impose new fees and licensing during the off-season, favoring investors at the expense of small-scale fishermen. They also condemned violations related to oversight and penalties, as well as the broad delegation of powers to the Ministry of Agriculture. There is concern over the risks of allowing foreign companies to fish within the Lebanese economic zone, which threatens the national fishing resources. The fishermen announced their readiness to take escalatory measures if the authorities continue to ignore their demands, emphasizing the need to protect fisheries and their livelihoods from foreign exploitation, and to preserve traditional fishing areas.
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