Beirut – January 19, 2026

Under the patronage of the Prime Minister, Dr. Nawaf Salam, the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with IndyACT, the University of Balamand, and ACTED, organized the National Fisheries Conference at the Grand Serail in Beirut. The conference brought together a wide range of participants, including national, regional, and international experts; representatives of governmental institutions; security forces (the Lebanese Army, Internal Security Forces, Customs, Coast Guard, and Civil Defense); ambassadors; international donor agencies; civil society organizations; municipalities; universities; the private sector; fishers and their unions.

The Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Nizar Hani, representing the Prime Minister, emphasized that the fisheries sector constitutes a fundamental pillar of food security and the national economy. He noted that the Ministry places special importance on this sector in light of the growing environmental and economic challenges.
He stressed the Ministry’s commitment to working with local and international partners to develop sustainable policies for marine resource management, enhance the legal and regulatory frameworks governing the fisheries sector, and strengthen monitoring and enforcement ensuring the protection of fish stocks while improving fishers’ livelihoods and enabling them to live with dignity.

Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rassamny, also delivered a speech in which he affirmed that protecting the Lebanese sea and ensuring the sustainability of its resources are an integral part of national policies related to maritime transport, ports, and maritime safety. He highlighted the importance of coordination among all relevant ministries and public authorities to ensure integrated marine area management, reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at reducing marine pollution and regulating maritime activities, thereby strengthening the blue economy and protecting coastal communities.

The conference focused on the current state of fisheries in Lebanon, their environmental condition, and the accumulated challenges facing this vital sector, amid the alarming decline in fish stocks and the increasing degradation of marine ecosystems due to unsustainable fishing, pollution, and weak management.

In this context, IndyACT emphasized that the conference represents a defining moment in launching a serious national dialogue on the future of fisheries in Lebanon, stressing the need to move from short-term, ad hoc solutions toward sustainable, science-based approaches grounded in long-term planning.

The organization highlighted the importance of establishing an integrated network of no-take marine protected areas covering 30% of Lebanon’s marine waters. It explained that scientific studies have demonstrated that adopting no-fishing zones within an effective network of marine protected areas is among the most effective solutions for restoring fish stocks and enhancing the resilience and regenerative capacity of marine ecosystems particularly given the critical stage currently facing Lebanon’s fisheries.

IndyACT further stressed that the success of any fisheries management policy cannot be achieved without adopting a comprehensive participatory approach that engages public institutions, international organizations, civil society, universities, the private sector, as well as fishers and their unions as key partners in protecting the sea and ensuring the sustainability of its resources.

This conference marks the first in a long series of initiatives launched by IndyACT, in cooperation with its local and international partners, aimed at restoring fish stocks, strengthening sector governance, and supporting national policies designed to protect marine resources and empower Lebanese fishers to live with dignity and secure a sustainable future for themselves and their families under the slogan:

“Reviving the sea pulse”