VZCZCXRO2134
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #0716 1101437
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201437Z APR 07
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7290
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000716 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NEA/IPA FOR 
WILLIAMS/SHAMPAINE/BELGRADE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS; 
TREASURY FOR NUGENT/HIRSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV KWBG IS
SUBJECT: LIMITED ACCESS TO PROFITABLE FISHING FOR GAZANS 
 
REF: 2006 JERUSALEM 2826 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Gaza fishermen cannot operate more than 
six nautical miles (n.m.) from the Gaza coast, devastating an 
industry that supports an estimated 30,000 Gazans, according 
to the April 2007 OCHA Special Focus report.  As the sardine 
season approaches, the 3,000 registered Gaza fishermen are 
prohibited from accessing the main sardine schools, which 
swim 10 n.m. from the coast.  Local fishermen have reported 
numerous occasions of Israeli navy vessels firing on fishing 
boats that have allegedly wandered into restricted waters, 
resulting in the deaths of three fishermen since October 
¶2006.  End summary. 
 
LIMITED ACCESS TO THE BIG FISH 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  There are 3,000 registered Gaza fishermen; 2,000 
boat maintenance workers; and an estimated 30,000 other 
Gazans who are dependent on the fishing industry, which 
represents four percent of the Palestinian Gross Domestic 
Product, according to the April 2007 OCHA Special Focus 
report.  In 2006, Gaza fishermen caught 1,604 tons of fish, a 
significant drop from the 1999 catch of 3,651 tons.  In 
October 2006, Israel relaxed some restrictions on Gaza 
fishermen by allowing them access to waters within six n.m. 
of the shoreline, which is mainly a breeding area for young 
and small fish.  The larger, more mature fish swim 10 n.m. 
off-shore and remain off-limits to the Palestinian fishing 
industry. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) According to the OCHA report, an average fishing 
trip costs between USD 500 and USD 2,500.  Since many Gaza 
fisherman do not find fishing profitable in the 6 n.m. zone, 
they have begun searching for alternative forms of 
employment. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The head of El-Tawafeek Fishermen Association 
Mohammed Zaquot told Econoff on April 10 that the fishing 
industry in Gaza had less than USD 5 million in earnings 
during 2006, in comparison to the USD 10 million earned in 
¶1999.  The OCHA report states that sardines, which swim along 
the Gaza coast during the spring months, represent 70 percent 
of the annual total Gazan fish catch.  Sardines will remain 
largely off-limits to Gaza fisherman during the 2007 season, 
as they mainly swim an estimated 10 n.m. from the shoreline, 
according to Zaquot. 
 
STRICT ISRAELI NAVAL ENFORCEMENT 
OF THE 6 N.M. ZONE 
------------------ 
 
¶5.  (SBU) According to OCHA and local press reports, numerous 
fishing boats have been fired-upon by Israeli navy vessels in 
recent months for allegedly wandering into restricted  waters 
(see reftel).  According to Zaquot, a few GPS-equipped 
fishermen have reported numerous occasions over the last few 
months where Israel navy vessels have fired at fishing boats 
working inside the 6 n.m. zone.  Zaquot told Econoff on April 
10 that three fisherman had been killed by Israeli gunfire 
since October 2006, a number also reported in the April OCHA 
report.  (Note:  Most Gaza fisherman do not have GPS, so 
their exact location may not be known to them.  End note.) 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Project Director of the USAID Palestinian 
Agribusiness Partnership Activity (PAPA) program, Said Sabri, 
spoke April 18 to a veteran Gaza fisherman who was involved 
in an April 17 incident at sea with an Israeli navy vessel. 
(Note:  PAPA assists Palestinian farmers and fishermen by 
providing them with capital assets, training, and technical 
assistance.  The program has recently initiated a project to 
supply Gaza fisherman with GPS hand-held units, along with 
nets, lines, sinkers, and hooks.  End note.)  The fisherman, 
who did not have a GPS unit, claimed to be fishing in 
unrestricted waters and was fired-upon by an Israeli navy 
vessel.  He told Sabri that the Israeli vessel instructed him 
to sail to the Israeli port of Ashdod.  According to the 
fisherman, he fearfully ignored those instructions and 
quickly returned his boat to Gaza City.  He told Sabri that 
he did not know why he had been instructed to sail to Ashdod, 
but he suspected that he would have been arrested and his 
boat confiscated. 
 
WALLES