Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Center THE STUDY ON ARTISANAL FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF EL SALVADOR MAIN REPORT SEPTEMBER 2002 IC Net Limited P R E F A C E In response to a request from the Government of the Republic of El Salvador, the Government of Japan decided to conduct a Development Study on Artesanal Fisheries Development in the Republic of El Salvador and entrusted the study to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). JICA selected and dispatched a study team headed by Mr. Hiroaki Yonesaka of IC-Net Limited, six times between September 2000 and July 2002. The team held discussions with the officials concerned from the Government of El Salvador and conducted field surveys at the study area including the implementation of pilot projects. Upon returning to Japan, the team conducted further studies and compiled the final results in this final report. I hope this report will contribute to the promotion of this project and to the enhancement of friendly relationship between our two countries. Finally, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the officials concerned from the Government of El Salvador for their close cooperation throughout the study. September 2002 Takao Kawakami President Japan International Cooperation Agency N Honduras Los EE.UU. Atlantic El Salvador Ocean Cuba Guatemala Mexico Haiti JamaicaDominica Pacific GuatemalaHonduras Ocean Nicaragua Chalatenango Panama Venezuela Costa Rica El Salvador Colombia Santa Ana Ahuachapan Lago Coatepeque Cabanas Cuscatlan Morazan Sonsonate San Salvador San Vicente Lago Ilopango La Libertad La Union Nicaragua 35 San Miguel Leyend La Paz Usulutan Boundary Line The Metropolitan Area Rio Lempa 36 Main highway Capital (San Salvador) Gulf of Lakes and rivers Zone for Study Fonseca Airport Communities focus of the Study Jiquilisco Bay 0 50 100Km 1 Bola de Monte 9 Metayo 17 San Luis La Herradura 25 Maculiz 33 Isla Conchaguita Ahuchapán, San Fco. M. La Libertad, Teotepeque La Paz, San Luis La Herradura La Unión, Conchagua La Unión, Isla Meanguera Garita Palmera El Nispero Cantón Jaguey 2 Garita Palmera 10 El Sunzal 18 Isla Tasajera 26 El Jaguey 34 Isla Meanguera Ahuachapán, San Fco. M. Sonsonate, Santa Isabel Ishuatan La Paz, San Luis La Herradura La Unión, Conchagua La Unión, Isla Meanguera Garita Palmera San Rafael Tasajera Jaguey 3 Barra de Santiago 11 El Majahual 19 Isla de Méndez 27 El Tamarindo 35 El Zope Ahuachapán, Jujutla La Libertad, Puerto de La Libertad Usulután, Bahía de Jiquilisco La Unión, Conchagua Sonsonate Barra de Santiago Majahual Cantón Isla de Méndez Tamarindo 4 Costa Azul 12 Los Filtros 20 Puerto El Triunfo 28 Playitas 36 Puerto Avalos Sonsonate, Aacajutla La Libertad, Puerto de La Libertad Usulután, Puerto El Triunfo La Unión, La Unión Usulután Metalio Playitas 5 Metalio 13 Puerto de La Libertad 21 Isla Pirrayita 29 Isla Zacatillo Sonsonate, Acajutla La Libertad, Puerto de La Libertad Usulután, San Dionisio La Unión, La Unión Metalio Zacatillo 6 Puerto Acajutla 14 Pimental 22 Puerto Parada 30 La Unión Sonsonate, Acajutla La Paz Usulután, Usulután La Unión El Nispero Puerto Parada 7 Los Cóbanos 15 San Marcelino 23 El Cuco 31 El Guisquil Communities object of the Sonsonate, Acajutla La Paz, San Pedro Masahuat San Miguel, Chilanguera La Unión, Conchagua Study in the coast of the Punta Remedios San Marcelino El Cuco Gusiquil Pacific Ocean of El Salvador 8 Barra Salada 16 Los Blancos 24 Playa Torola 32 Chapernal (Communities in dark Sonsonate, Cuisnahuat La Paz, San Luis La Herradura La Unión, Conchagua La Unión, San Ajelo are priority communities) Salinas de Ayacachapa San Antonio Los Blancos Cantón Las Tunas Chapernal SUMMARY Summary 1. Profile of the Present Study The fisheries sector of El Salvador is divided into three large categories: industrial shrimp trawling for export purposes; products mostly marketed in the local market; and artisanal fisheries in inland waters such as lakes and lagoons. In addition to the above, aquaculture (tilapia and shrimp farming) is also practiced, although at a very small scale and is generally not very developed in terms of commercialization. Regarding the fish product processing sector, with the exception of shrimp exports, the only processing carried out is fish drying (and salt bathing) by the fishers themselves or middlemen, and the manufacture of ice on a small scale. The fisheries sector represents a small percentage of the national economy: only 0.4% of GDP and 3.9% of the agricultural sector GDP. However, it is a very important sector from the perspective of the acquisition of foreign currency through exports and employment. According to statistics of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Center (CENDEPESCA) of MAG, as shown in the graph below, the total Salvadoran catch experienced growth from 8,362 MT in 1986 to 14,999 MT in 1995. However, this figure declined to 9,755 MT in 2000. From the total catch of 9,755 MT, 6,665 MT corresponds to sea fisheries, of which 2,099 MT (32%) is for industrial fisheries, and 4,566 MT (68%) for artisanal fisheries. The decline in the catch over the past few years is partly due to the impact of Hurricane Mitch (1998) and deterioration of the fisheries ground environment. However, pressure of overexploitation that is gradually affecting the availability of coastal resources also cannot be ignored. Originally, El Salvador’s artisanal fisheries lagged in terms of development of fishing techniques, fishery management, processing of fishery products, and fisheries cooperatives, with low productivity that has worsened over the past couple of years. i MT 16,000 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 Inland Fisheries 6,000 4,000 Sea Fisheries 2,000 0 Year 86 7 88 9 90 1 3 4 6 98 00 98 98 99 99 99 99 19 1 19 1 19 1 1992 1 1 1995 1 1997 19 1999 20 Source: Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics 2000 Figure: History of Fisheries Production in El Salvador Inland water fisheries are only artisanal and mainly target tilapia in lakes. Nevertheless, this sub-sector is significant as it represents one quarter of the total national catch. Notwithstanding, the catch also experienced a temporary increase between 1986 and the mid-1990s, from 1,816 MT to 4,000-5,000 MT, respectively, but has since followed a downward trend similar to sea fisheries, which saw their catch halved in 1999 (2,653 MT). The rescue of artisanal fishers from poverty is one of the social tasks facing the Government. In addition to low productivity and a deficiency of social services in fishery communities, there has been an increase of artisanal fishers due to the migration of refugees to coastal areas to escape the conflict that plagued the country from 1979-1992. This is also one of the causes of the poverty that persists in coastal fishery communities, and it is common to find families living on remittances sent from relatives who have emigrated to the United States in search of work. Within this context, the present Study has been developed to provide support to CENDEPESCA and prepare a Master Plan aimed at the comprehensive development of artisanal fisheries to increase employment opportunities, mitigate poverty in coastal areas, and promote fish consumption in an effort to increase the rate of food self-sufficiency. For 2 years, beginning from September 2000, activities mainly focused on collecting necessary information and implementing the pilot projects listed below. (1) Fisheries Statistics Improvement Project (2) Project in Support of the Formation of Fishers’ Organizations (3) Women’s Economic Status Improvement Project ii (4) Artisanal Fisheries Diversification Project 2. Current state of the fisheries sector in El Salvador (1) Fishing Society Originally, artisanal fishing in El Salvador was carried out by peasants living in coastal areas for self-sufficiency, and its history as an economic activity it only dates back to the 1950’s. Particularly since 1960, the number of permanent residents in fishing villages has increased. At the same time, as a result of an increase in political violence in the northern and eastern regions from the late 1970’s to late 1980’s, there has been an increase in the number of people migrating from inland areas to fishing villages and from the northern and eastern regions to the west region. Construction of social infrastructure of the fishing communities including roads, electricity, schools, etc., begun in the 1970s, but was delayed due to prolonged political violence in the 1980s. The signature of the Agreement of Chapultepec in 1992 marked the restart of projects and many fishing communities were provided with water supply systems, health posts and telephone services. Table: Fishing Communities Classification Type Characteristics Main Communities ① Urban • Predominance of workers in The main fishing ports are: the services and commercial Acajutla, La Libertad, Herradura, sector rather than the La Unión, etc. fisheries sector. ② Combination of • People dedicated to fishing Bola de Monte, Garita Palmera, fishing and agriculture during the agricultural Costa Azúl, Metalio, Metayo, El unemployment period. Zunsal, Majahual, Los Filtros, Pimental, El Triunfo, El Jaguey, Isla de Zacatillo, etc. ③ Fishing community • Mainly dedicated to fishing Los Cóbanoss, San Marcelino, San exclusively engaged in shrimp and fish. Antonio Los Blancos, El Cuco, commerce Playa Torola, El Maculis, El Tamarindo, Playitas, Isla Conchaguita, Isla Meanguera, etc. ④ Combination of • Equal number of fishers Barra de Santiago, Isla Tazajera, fishing with fishing fishing in boats and fishers Isla de Méndez, Isla Pirrayita, boats and mollusk mainly engaged in mollusk Puerto Parada, El Guisguil, extraction extraction. • Predominance of women engaged in fishing activities. ⑤ Fishing community • The main occupation is Small communities inside the exclusively engaged in mollusk extraction in Jiquilisco Bay, Chapernal, etc.