The Current Status of Coastal Fisheries in Mogadishu

Coastal fisheries play an important role in food security, employment, income generation, and blue economy development in Mogadishu, Somalia. However, the sector faces several challenges, including limited landing-site infrastructure, poor fish handling practices, inadequate cold-chain facilities, weak market systems, limited access to modern fishing equipment, and insufficient fisheries data for planning and management.

This study assesses the current status of coastal fisheries in Mogadishu, focusing on fishing activities, fish landing practices, market access, post-harvest handling, livelihood contribution, and key constraints affecting small-scale fishers. The study is based on capstone research and uses a descriptive approach to understand the opportunities and challenges within the coastal fisheries value chain.

The findings indicate that coastal fisheries in Mogadishu have strong potential to support livelihoods and contribute to national food and nutrition security. However, the sector remains underdeveloped due to weak infrastructure, limited technical capacity, poor preservation systems, and low value addition. Post-harvest losses are also a concern, especially where fishers and traders lack access to ice, cold storage, hygienic handling facilities, and organized markets.

The study recommends strengthening fisheries infrastructure, improving fish handling and preservation practices, supporting fisher training, enhancing market linkages, and promoting public-private partnerships. Improving coastal fisheries management in Mogadishu can reduce losses, increase fisher income, enhance food availability, and contribute to a resilient and inclusive blue economy in Somalia.