Arabian Dried Fish Trade Revived

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31128, 3 August 1966, Page 10

Arabian Dried Fish Trade Revived

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter)

ADEN.

Plans are under way to revive the dried fish trade, one of the oldest and most important of South Arabia’s industries. In the last two years, advice and training by British experts on curing and storing of the dried fish for export has already checked a decline which was the result of poor quality. Now, a chain of about 20 modem fish curing yards are to be built along the 750-mile long coast of South Arabia. Fishermen will be taught the correct methods of fish-curing to ensure a high quality product. The yards will be established in important fishing villages. The first is to go into action by October of this year, at Imran village, in the State of i Lahej, in the Federation of South Arabia.

Exports of dried fish to world markets earn the Federation nearly £300,000 a year.

Most of the cured, edible white fish is exported to Ceylon. Dried shark meat is sent to East Africa and Singapore. Sun-dried sardines and anchovies are exported to Italy, Spain and Northern I

Europe, where they are used in the fertiliser industries. Mr A. N. Periera, manager of the Co-operative Wholesale Establishment of Ceylon, which is a principal market for South Arabian dried and salted fish, told fish dealers recently that his country was interested in getting more supplies from Aden because some improvement had been found in the quality of its dried fish. Mr Periera also confirmed increases in prices of some kinds of fish and offered to buy dried shark, which had never previously been exported to Ceylon. British help, in experts and cash, to boost the dried fish industry has come from the British Ministry of Overseas Development and the Colonial Development and Welfare Scheme.

During one visit, Mr R. C. Cole, a specialist in fish curing from the Tropical Products Institute in London, spent six months on the coast of the Federation of South Arabia, to establish improved methods of fish curing in the villages.

He demonstrated how to wash the fish properly in brine and dry it on racks, instead of on the earth. He also recommended building fish-curing stations for the communal use of local I fishermen.