Libya’s Aquaculture: A Blue Frontier of Opportunity
Libya has vast, yet underused, marine and inland waters that could transform its economy through aquaculture. Early trials date back to the 1970s-80s (for freshwater carp and tilapia) and 1990s (brackish cage farms), but production remained marginal. The country’s first large-scale marine farm began at Ain El-Ghazala (Tobruk area) in 1989. By the early 2000s, new projects – including floating sea-cage farms at Ras al-Hilal and an integrated hatchery on Farwa Lagoon (near Tunisia) in 2004 – brought Libya to about 230 tonnes annual aquaculture output. However, the 2011 conflict halted most fish-farming activity, and production since then has been negligible (fewer than 50 tonnes/year from a few small private farms).
Institutional Reforms and Governance
Libya’s marine resources sector has undergone significant institutional reforms, evolving from the early establishment of the Marine Wealth Authority into a more structured and specialized governance system. The General Authority for Marine Wealth in Libya was formally established by General People’s Committee Decision No. 159 of 2007, issued on 15 March 2007. This institution, however, has deeper roots: an earlier authority known as the General Authority for Marine Wealth and Aquaculture had been created under Decision No. 206 of 2001, but was dissolved by Decision No. 69 of 2002. Over the years, the sector experienced several structural changes, reflecting shifting national priorities and governance approaches. The Authority originally managed licensing, regulation, and coastal monitoring, but frequent administrative changes and integration within broader agriculture ministries weakened its effectiveness. Recent reforms culminated in elevating the sector to a dedicated Ministry of Marine Wealth in 2021, reflecting national recognition of the importance of fisheries, aquaculture, and the blue economy. The new ministry now oversees key specialized institutions, including the Marine Biology Research Center, responsible for scientific assessments; the General Authority for Marine Fisheries, tasked with regulation and enforcement; and the National Project of Aquaculture, focused on developing aquaculture and technical capacity.
Together, these reforms have strengthened governance, clarified mandates, and created a more coherent institutional framework for sustainable marine resource management in Libya. Governance remains the most decisive bottleneck for aquaculture growth in Libya, and this is precisely where the strongest reforms are now taking place.
However, the Cabinet Decision No. 497 of 2021 established the National Project of Aquaculture as a specialized governmental entity responsible for developing and expanding aquaculture in Libya. The decision mandated the project to lead national planning, promote sustainable marine and freshwater aquaculture, introduce modern technologies, and support investment in cage farming, hatcheries, and integrated farming systems. It also tasked the project with implementing pilot initiatives, providing technical training, strengthening research collaboration, and supporting private-sector participation. By creating this institution, the government aimed to rebuild Libya’s aquaculture sector, address long-standing capacity gaps, and position aquaculture as a key pillar of food security and the national blue economy. It is important to mention the 12 new official aquaculture administrative forms, which have been introduced by the NPA, covering:
- Farm establishment permits
- Environmental compliance and monitoring
- Fry import rules and quarantine
- Annual production reporting
- Biosecurity and veterinary protocols
These standard procedures bring order to a sector that long lacked clear rules. By making requirements transparent, Libya becomes more credible and predictable for investors.
Libya’s Aquaculture Potential
Libya’s 1,970 km Mediterranean coastline and year-round sunlight give the country some of the strongest natural conditions for developing a modern aquaculture industry. Its coastal waters are warm, calm, and ideal for farming high-value species such as sea bass and sea bream, along with various shellfish. While freshwater resources are more limited, several projects have successfully tested tilapia and carp in reservoirs and agricultural irrigation ponds. Libya also has a history of large-scale production. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the country operated several industrial marine fish farms, proving its ability to grow aquaculture at a commercial level. Today, most activity is carried out by small private operators—not because Libya lacks potential, but because major farms shut down due to economic and institutional challenges.
Experts say the country still holds significant untapped opportunities. Semi-enclosed bays, lagoons, and sheltered stretches of coastline could once again support marine cage farming if hatcheries, feed supply chains, and regulatory systems are strengthened. Even desert areas offer possibilities: in the 1980s, the southern small projects successfully raised tilapia using agricultural drainage water. If fully developed, Libya’s marine and inland water resources could produce tens of thousands of tonnes of fish annually. Regional organizations, including the WestMED Blue Economy Initiative, and AU FISHGOV describe Libya as a country with “vast opportunity,” where aquaculture could provide new jobs, reduce dependence on imported fish, and eventually supply neighboring markets.
Skills, Training, and Human Capital
Human capital is one of Libya’s most urgent challenges and is essential for aquaculture to scale beyond small operations.
Current Gaps
- Limited marine/aquaculture education infrastructure
- Few practical training programs in hatchery techniques, cage operation, feed management, or disease control
- Scarcity of aquaculture technicians and farm managers
- Migration of skilled youth to other sectors
What Libya Needs
- A National Training & Certification Program (6-12 month hands-on courses, not short workshops)
- Partnerships with Mediterranean training centers (Tunisia, Egypt, Malta, Italy and Turkey)
- Hatchery technician programs, including broodstock management and larval rearing
- Vocational schools focused on cage maintenance, net cleaning, feeding strategies, and monitoring
- Support for youth entrepreneurship and small aquaculture startups
The recent training offered by the NPA is a positive step, but Libya needs structured, long-term capacity building to create a stable workforce.
Strategic Planning and MSP
Strategic planning is becoming central to Libya’s new blue economy approach. Historically, fisheries and aquaculture received minimal attention in national development plans. A recent WestMED analysis and also a comperhinsive report on the Alignment of Libya’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Policies with The Policy Framework and Re-Form Strategy For African Fisheries And Aquaculture (Pfrs) by AU-IBAR note that there is no coherent marine spatial planning (MSP) or integrated marine/coastal spatial framework that maps suitable zones for aquaculture, environmental conservation, coastal development, or marine traffic, which is essential for sustainable aquaculture and marine resource management.
Libya’s climate vulnerability, including sea-level rise, coastal erosion, water scarcity, and increasing pressures on marine ecosystems, poses major risks. Yet there’s no national plan to mainstream climate change adaptation into fisheries or aquaculture planning.
MSP would help Libya:
- Zone areas for cage farms
- Avoid sensitive ecosystems (Posidonia meadows, MPAs)
- Protect tourism and reduce user conflict
- Plan around oil, gas, and military zones
- Apply coastal setback rules offshore
Although no official MSP exists yet, regional frameworks describe MSP as “crucial” for sustainable blue growth.
Regional Lessons
Libya can learn from its regional neighbors. Tunisia, for example, has about 24,000 t/year of aquaculture now, and the government is aiming to double that by 2030. Tunisia’s strategy addresses exactly Libya’s challenges: it strengthens governance, modernizes regulations, and incentivizes local fish-feed production to cut costs. Egypt is a striking example of scale: its farms produced roughly 1.6 million tonnes in 2023 (about 80% of its domestic fish supply). Nile tilapia dominates Egypt’s output, showing how focused industry growth can transform a national diet and economy. Libyan experts often cite Egypt (currently the world’s #3 tilapia producer) as proof that regional conditions can yield huge results. Oman offers another model: with similar long coasts, it saw aquaculture leap by 500% over eight years (from 284 to 1,703 tonnes in 2022) through state-supported projects and large fish farms. Those projects included seabream and shrimp in offshore cages, abalone ponds, and dozens of integrated farm units. The Omani case shows that government-led planning and investment, combined with private enterprise, can rapidly build a sector. Together, these examples are a reminder: Libya’s neighbors are tapping their blue resources, and Libya has even greater untapped potential.
Conclusion
Libya’s aquaculture sector stands at a pivotal juncture. The historical foundations are in place, and new reforms are being drafted. With its long coastline and existing infrastructure, Libya could become a significant fish producer once more.
But success requires:
- Finalize the National Blue Economy Strategy
- Immediately launch an Aquaculture Masterplan (2026-2036)
This Masterplan should include:
- Clear production targets from aquaculture.
- Site allocation based on valid and reliable data.
- building of National marine hatcheries as the backbone of the industry
- Incentives for fish feed production
- Long-term training and capacity building
- Strong investor partnerships
- Consistent, science-based regulation
- International investment partnerships
- Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)
Libya’s long coastline and wide continental shelf allow large-scale aquaculture zones with minimal conflict, if properly planned. If these steps are taken, Libya can move beyond fragmented small-scale farming and reclaim its place as a significant producer in the southern Mediterranean.
Journalist’s View
Libya’s policymakers and investors are understandably cautious, given years of conflict and uncertainty. Yet the pieces are finally coming together: new ministries, a National Aquaculture Project, and international technical help are aligning behind a common goal. As a journalist covering this field, the current dialogue is encouraging. Experts are openly discussing tough issues – from financing gaps to environmental safeguards – but they’re doing so within a shared vision for growth. The Tripoli workshop, for example, produced concrete short- and long-term plans rather than vague promises. We hope that Libya’s rich marine legacy can now be turned into modern prosperity. That will require perseverance, continued investment, and strong institutions. However, Libyan entrepreneurs and young graduates are eager: after speaking to biologists and engineers excited about new hatchery projects, and to fishers curious about algae or shrimp farming. If clear rules and steady support back these energies, we are optimistic that the industry will rise. In the coming years, we should see small cages dotting the coast and local markets stocked with Libyan-grown fish – a tangible sign that the country’s blue riches are being harnessed for Libyan people.
List of Experts interviewed :
- Dr Masauda Abuarosha, National Coordinator for the Western Mediterranean Blue Economy Initiative
- Dr Ehab A AL Tayeb Sharif, Associate Professor, Department of Poultry and Fish Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tripoli.
- Abdallah Elmgawshi, Researcher at Marine Biology Research Centre
- Ali Shefran, Researcher at Marine Biology Research Centre
- Ashraf Ibrahim Baryon, Director of the Tripoli Hydroponics Office of the National Hydroponics Project
Libya’s Aquaculture: A Blue Frontier of Opportunity
