Moreover, the strategy did not account for the high vulnerability and low resilience inherent in

fisheries resources in general. Prior to unification in 1990, the two separate entities of Yemen pursued different fisheries development policies; while the state in the north adopted a policy of supporting artisanal sector development, the state in the south pursued a policy of supporting large-scale industrial fishing [37]. After unification, the authorities encouraged a policy of supporting the artisanal sector development and gradually eliminated the agreements with the industrial fleets. As a result, the number of fishermen and fishing boats has increased rapidly and production estimates reached a peak of 256,300 t in 2004 before dropping to 130,591 t in 2008 [28]. The catch per unit of effort (CPUE) has simultaneously decreased with time [28], [38] and [39]. In AZD5363 the absence of proper governance, industrial fleets have caused not only fish stock depletion but also major destruction to fish habitats [40] and [41]. In line with the announced fisheries

strategy that gives preference to the artisanal sector, new licenses for industrial vessels have not been granted since 2004. Currently, there is no licensed industrial fishing in Yemen and there are only a few coastal fishing fleets with illegal PD0332991 in vivo licenses in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, some of which operate with artisanal licenses. Industrial fleets are registered to fish for almost all different kinds of fish, including pelagic fish. However, reporting of catches have never included any pelagic fish. Moreover, it is believed that these trawlers are poaching significant quantities of tuna and tuna-like species. Furthermore, significant quantities of fish are being captured illegally by unlicensed industrial fleets; these fish are being transferred directly to other countries [32] and [42]. Due to the limited employment opportunities available to the coastal inhabitants, increased domestic demand, and the open-access nature of fisheries, the number

of fishermen MYO10 has increased rapidly. Moreover, the return of one million expatriates from Saudi Arabia after the 1991 gulf crisis [43] has also added to the numbers of workers entering artisanal fishing [40] and [41]. Subsequently, fishermen numbers have increased three-fold between 1990 and 2010 [28]. Most of the recent growth has occurred in the Red Sea region where both fishermen and fishing boats numbers have increased four-fold between 2000 and 2010 [28]. This rapid growth in the past decade is attributed, in part, to changes in national policy that have led to a reduction of the industrial fleet. Fish exports have witnessed significant increases and reached 110,000 t in 2010, which is nearly 58% of the total fish production [28].