Uncertainties with the results
The results assessed in this study appear to be very conservative for various reasons:
- The annual CPUE is an average landing of 9 boats of one ports among 32 port in Algeria and it is
based on one sea trip per day while many small scale boat perform 2 to 3 fishing trips per day;
- The number of recreational authorization is decreasing, between 2016 and 2013 but the number of boat are increasing [22], highlighting that boats that are not registered are not
included in this analysis;
Discussion
The recreational reconstructed catch in Algeria reached 6,000 tonnes in 2015, which is higher
comparing to previous estimates of annual recreational catches ranged between 380 t [23], and
1,000 t [9], The case of Boumerdes shows that, potentially, only 1% (7.5 t reported from 599 t
estimated) of the total recreational catch is ever reported. This may be due to the fact that remote
landing beaches and other improvised landing places, amounting a total of 32 along the Algerian
coastline [24,25], are not accounted for in official statistics. However, given that our estimate is
based on all licensed vessels, we believe that by extrapolating an average observed CPUE on the
total authorized fleet, all authorized vessels are captured in our estimate. Sumaila [26] Classified
three forms of subsidies; “Beneficial subsidies” or “good”, they enhance the growth of fish stocks
through conservation, and the monitoring of catch rates through control and surveillance measures, “Capacity-enhancing subsidies” or “bad” which are all forms of capital inputs that reduce
cost or enhance revenue,”Ambiguous subsidies” or “ugly” are defined as programs whose impacts are undetermined. We highlight, herein, that in addition to the catch under-reporting,
both the regulation status and the reporting system are questionable. Overall, the fishery generates over 45 million USD in revenue that remains part of the informal economy, “given our findings, recreational fishers enjoy a discounted price for licences while they compete on the same
market and for the same stocks of fish than artisanal fishers. Given the lack of oversight on the
fishery, which translates into unreported catches and important losses to the government, we
argue that the discount offered is a form of capacity enhancing subsidy, which is one of the bad
forms of subsidies” which have, in addition to potential negative impacts on the environment,
far reaching socio-economic impacts, when ill-managed [26]
The Algerian law clearly states that sports and recreational fishing products cannot be sold
or exchanged, and are only intended for self-consumption or release. “Recreational fishing
practiced with recreational vessels is subject to an authorization delivered by the administration
responsible for the fishing” [15]. Respective of the conditions above, the difference in licensing
fees amounting at a total of over $1, 607 580 US (1170 USD annually per fisher) as assessed in
this study serves as an incentive for many artisanal fishers to convert to a recreational activity
because of the lack of control in the latter, and lower post-harvest costs, overall. In fact, whereas the previous law precisely defined the conditions for the practice of recreational fishing
(distance, gear and period restrictions) [27], the new regulations adopted as of 2011 do not
provide any specificities with regards to potential infractions, limiting only the purpose of the
catch that has to be for self-consumption and not for sale [10], In 2015, this law was modified
and supplemented, and a fine is imposed to anyone who practice recreational fishing in contravention of the provisions of this law [28]. Without any further precisions, that means that
the commercialization of catch remains the only infraction.
Thanks to this legal loophole, many recreational vessels operate commercially [20] and outcompete artisanal fishers. Indeed, the number of recreational licenses is 1.8 times higher than
The reality of recreational fishing sector in Algeria
PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201602 August 2, 2018
7 / 11
The results assessed in this study appear to be very conservative for various reasons:
- The annual CPUE is an average landing of 9 boats of one ports among 32 port in Algeria and it is
based on one sea trip per day while many small scale boat perform 2 to 3 fishing trips per day;
- The number of recreational authorization is decreasing, between 2016 and 2013 but the number of boat are increasing [22], highlighting that boats that are not registered are not
included in this analysis;
Discussion
The recreational reconstructed catch in Algeria reached 6,000 tonnes in 2015, which is higher
comparing to previous estimates of annual recreational catches ranged between 380 t [23], and
1,000 t [9], The case of Boumerdes shows that, potentially, only 1% (7.5 t reported from 599 t
estimated) of the total recreational catch is ever reported. This may be due to the fact that remote
landing beaches and other improvised landing places, amounting a total of 32 along the Algerian
coastline [24,25], are not accounted for in official statistics. However, given that our estimate is
based on all licensed vessels, we believe that by extrapolating an average observed CPUE on the
total authorized fleet, all authorized vessels are captured in our estimate. Sumaila [26] Classified
three forms of subsidies; “Beneficial subsidies” or “good”, they enhance the growth of fish stocks
through conservation, and the monitoring of catch rates through control and surveillance measures, “Capacity-enhancing subsidies” or “bad” which are all forms of capital inputs that reduce
cost or enhance revenue,”Ambiguous subsidies” or “ugly” are defined as programs whose impacts are undetermined. We highlight, herein, that in addition to the catch under-reporting,
both the regulation status and the reporting system are questionable. Overall, the fishery generates over 45 million USD in revenue that remains part of the informal economy, “given our findings, recreational fishers enjoy a discounted price for licences while they compete on the same
market and for the same stocks of fish than artisanal fishers. Given the lack of oversight on the
fishery, which translates into unreported catches and important losses to the government, we
argue that the discount offered is a form of capacity enhancing subsidy, which is one of the bad
forms of subsidies” which have, in addition to potential negative impacts on the environment,
far reaching socio-economic impacts, when ill-managed [26]
The Algerian law clearly states that sports and recreational fishing products cannot be sold
or exchanged, and are only intended for self-consumption or release. “Recreational fishing
practiced with recreational vessels is subject to an authorization delivered by the administration
responsible for the fishing” [15]. Respective of the conditions above, the difference in licensing
fees amounting at a total of over $1, 607 580 US (1170 USD annually per fisher) as assessed in
this study serves as an incentive for many artisanal fishers to convert to a recreational activity
because of the lack of control in the latter, and lower post-harvest costs, overall. In fact, whereas the previous law precisely defined the conditions for the practice of recreational fishing
(distance, gear and period restrictions) [27], the new regulations adopted as of 2011 do not
provide any specificities with regards to potential infractions, limiting only the purpose of the
catch that has to be for self-consumption and not for sale [10], In 2015, this law was modified
and supplemented, and a fine is imposed to anyone who practice recreational fishing in contravention of the provisions of this law [28]. Without any further precisions, that means that
the commercialization of catch remains the only infraction.
Thanks to this legal loophole, many recreational vessels operate commercially [20] and outcompete artisanal fishers. Indeed, the number of recreational licenses is 1.8 times higher than
The reality of recreational fishing sector in Algeria
PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201602 August 2, 2018
7 / 11