Yemen’s fisheries sector, once central to food security and local livelihoods, has suffered immense damage due to prolonged conflict, collapsing infrastructure, and worsening climate impacts. Fishers have faced rising costs, limited access to cold storage, and deteriorating landing sites, all of which have reduced earnings and made nutritious fish less affordable for communities. Despite these challenges, recovery has begun through the Sustainable Fishery Development in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (SFISH) Program, a $45 million initiative supported by the World Bank and partners including UNDP and SMEPS.
The SFISH program is revitalizing the sector by restoring essential infrastructure, strengthening value chains, and supporting thousands of fishers and entrepreneurs. Nearly 4,000 beneficiaries have received financial and technical assistance, leading to the creation and improvement of over 7,300 jobs. Women entrepreneurs, in particular, have gained new opportunities, with more than 800 receiving support to participate in and benefit from the fish value chain. For many households, the program has provided the tools, training, and capital needed to rebuild livelihoods and restore economic stability.
Rehabilitation of nine major landing sites is helping fishers reduce post-harvest losses and access markets more efficiently. Upgrades to auction halls, sanitation systems, and climate-resilient infrastructure have improved working conditions and boosted incomes. Local businesses are also adopting sustainable practices, such as solar-powered operations at the Bawazir Ice & Fish Preservation Factory, which has reduced fuel dependency, lowered costs, and generated new jobs. In Hadramout, improvements at the Al-Sahel Packaging Facility have multiplied production capacity and opened new domestic and international market opportunities.
Regional collaboration forms an important part of SFISH efforts. Through partnerships with PERGSA, Yemen and neighboring countries are improving fish stock data, strengthening marine conservation, and tackling illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. A regional contingency plan for oil and chemical spills is also being advanced to protect fragile marine ecosystems.
Looking ahead, the program is exploring aquaculture and mariculture, including species such as sea cucumber and spiny lobster, to ease pressure on wild fish stocks. Community-based fisheries management plans are being developed to promote long-term sustainability. Despite ongoing conflict and climate threats, the SFISH program demonstrates that meaningful progress is possible, offering Yemen’s coastal communities renewed resilience, opportunity, and hope for a more sustainable future.
