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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Libya
Index
Farmers plant seedlings to stem the advance of the desert
Courtesy United States Information Agency
Although Libya possesses nearly 1,800 kilometers of coastline
and the second largest continental shelf in the Mediterranean, its
waters are not particularly rich in the plankton needed to sustain
highly productive fishing waters. In 1977 Libya's fishing catch
stood at 4,803 tons. By 1981 it had risen to 6,418 tons--still one
of the smaller national catches in the Mediterranean. Most of
Libya's fishing fleet was located on the western half of its
coastline, especially around Tripoli, because the country's eastern
and central coasts possessed less attractive fishing grounds.
Estimates in 1979 put the number of fishing boats at 325, of which
13 were trawlers; the rest were small and medium-sized boats.
Approximately 1,000 to 1,200 people were thought to be professional
fishermen in 1981. The government has been encouraging fishing
activities and attempting to stimulate a demand for fish. In 1986
a new fishing port was under construction at Zuwarah, and numerous
ice plants have been built at several coastal sites. Agreements for
joint development of fishing have been signed with several
countries, including Tunisia and Spain.
Sponge fishing has been monopolized by Greek fishermen who have
been licensed by the Libyan government. A tiny percentage of the
harvest has been obtained by Libyans using small boats and skindiving equipment from the shallow waters inshore. The Greeks have
used modern equipment to exploit the deepwater beds where the best
sponges lie. In an experiment begun in 1977, the government has
established freshwater fish farms in several inshore locations.
For commercial purposes, the country has no forests. Although
the government designated more than 62,400 hectares as woodland or
forest, of this land is covered with scrub and minor vegetation.
During the 1960s, the government actively pursued an
afforestation program; these activities were accelerated in the
1970s. An estimated 213 million seedlings had been planted by 1977,
about 33 million of which were fruit trees. Most of the
reforestation has been in western Libya. During reforestation
efforts, scientist have experimented with a petrochemical spray
that is sufficiently porous to allow the occasional rain to trickle
and seep through, yet sturdy enough to prevent the seedling from
being blown away during one of the country's frequent and severe
sandstorms. The government's long-term goals for the massive
planting program include the growth of enough trees to meet its
domestic lumber needs, which in the past had been met by imports.
Short-term goals include soil conservation and reclamation, and the
creation of windbreaks for crops and settlements.
Data as of 1987
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