Aquaculture is currently the largest single source of fish supply in Egypt accounting for almost 65 percent of the total fish production of the country with over 99 percent produced from privately owned farms
The development and expansion of modern aquaculture began in Egypt two decades ago following which the sector has witnessed a significant and rapid development over the last few years leading to a sharp increase in production. This sector is exhibiting the strongest growth of any fisheries related activity in the country and as a result aquaculture is considered as the only viable option for reducing the gap between production and consumption of fish in Egypt.
Except for a very limited number of isolated instances, most aquaculture activities are located in the Nile Delta Region. Aquaculture is practiced using a variety of systems with varying levels of technology. So far the majority of farmed fish are either freshwater species or those that can grow in brackish water. The production of fish and crustaceans in marine or brackish water is still in its early stages and its development is still influenced by technical and economical problems.
The majority of fish farms in Egypt can be classified as semi-intensive brackish water pond farms; this type of farming suffered a dramatic reduction in numbers during the early 1990s as a result of the competition for land and water from the expansion of land reclamation activities for agriculture. Intensive aquaculture, in earthen ponds and tanks, is now developing rapidly to counter act the reduction in the total area available for aquaculture activity.
Current developments in production are centred on the application of modern technologies and are a result of changes in the structure of the fish farming community. The high rate of return on investment in aquaculture has attracted a large number of small to middle level investors who tend to have a more scientific background than the traditional farmers. The sector is becoming more sophisticated and diverse and this is also associated with a rapid expansion in support activities such as local feed mills and hatcheries. The number of fish hatcheries has increased from 14 in 1998 (Barrania et al, 1999) to over 300 (GAFRD, 2009). More than 16 fish feed manufacturing companies have been established during the course of the last ten years.
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