Egypt: Rights group raises alarm over military control of fishing sector

An Egyptian human rights organisation, EgyptWide, has warned that military-controlled fishing and aquaculture projects in four northern lakes have exacerbated poverty, unemployment, and human rights violations among local communities, contradicting official claims of economic development.

In a newly released report focusing on Lake Burullus, Lake Mariout, Lake Ghalioun, and Lake Manzala, EgyptWide says the expansion of military-run complexes has entrenched military dominance over the fishing sector while depriving thousands of fishers of their traditional livelihoods. The findings are based on policy analysis, documentation of human rights violations, and interviews with residents affected by the projects.

According to the report, the interventions were publicly presented as initiatives to revive fish production, reduce poverty and unemployment, and curb irregular migration. However, following the military’s acquisition of lake waters and existing aquaculture facilities, local fishers were denied access to traditional fishing areas and subjected to increasingly arbitrary and restrictive licensing procedures. No compensation was provided for lost income, and many fishers were forced into debt, in some cases leading to imprisonment under Egyptian penal law.

The report also documents widespread repression linked to the projects. Between March 2020 and July 2024, more than 140 fishers were arbitrarily arrested on charges ranging from fishing without a licence to alleged affiliation with terrorist groups. Many detainees spent years in pre-trial detention, were referred to military courts, and were held in overcrowded and inhumane conditions, often without credible evidence being presented.

Beyond the local impacts, EgyptWide argues that military control of fishing and aquaculture reflects the broader militarisation of Egypt’s economy since 2014. This process, marked by secrecy, lack of accountability, and the absence of civilian oversight, has distorted markets and marginalised democratic institutions.

The report concludes that the lake projects exemplify a pattern of dispossession rather than development. Rather than alleviating poverty or discouraging migration, EgyptWide says, military-led mega projects have displaced civilian businesses, excluded locals from employment, and intensified the economic pressures driving communities towards dangerous migration routes.