Announcement of World Bank Provides Twenty-Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars for Fisheries Project in Tunisia on July 2, 1979

' ... ' . . ' . . ' , FOR IMM.EDIATE RELEASE - •World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 79/125 July 2, 1979 WORLD BANK.PROVIDES $28.5 MILLION FOR FISHERIES PROJECT IN TUNISIA The World Bank has approved a loan of $28.5 million to Tunisia for a fisheries project that will help increase the production of fish, making possible a significant increase in fishermen's incomes and creating employ- ment opportunities for jobless and underemployed coastal region inhabitants. The $67.6 million project, which is the second fisheries project the Bank has assisted in Tunisia, consists in part of building port infrastruc- ture to serve as a base for fishing along the coast from Sidi Daoud i~ the north to Bou Grara and A~jim in the south. Infrastructure to be built along the shore includes facilities for boat repair, ice making, and cold storage. About 400 boats will be built and equipped with inboard diesel engines • and complete fishing gear. Another 30 larger boats will be constructed for use in northern waters which are rough in winter. Fishermen will receive on-the-job training so that they will lose no valuable fishing time. The project will also finance the preparation of feasib1l1ty studies for the expansion of Kelibia and Tabarka ports. A study will also be carried out on the possibilities of lagoon fishing. The project's goal is to make possible an increase of about 8;800 tons per year of whitefish, shrimp, and octopus at full development in 1985. About l ,750 new fishing jobs will be created, and new fishermen will be drawn largely from the absolute rural poverty group, with incomes of about $100 per year. As fishermen, they will have an average annual income of $2,700. About 250 jobs will be created in project-related services. The increase in fish production will also contribute to foreign exchange earnings through the export of frozen octopus anci shrimp, and indirectly through additional consumption of quality fish by tourists. An important long-term objective of the project will be the establishment of a central authority to administer the fisheries sector. The Government of Tunisia is contributing $37 million for the project. Sub-borrowers are providing $1 .6 mill ion, and $500,000 will come from the Banque Nationale de Tunisie. The Bank loan is for 17 years, including 4 years of grace, at 7.9% interest per year . • NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents. FORM NO. 1121 (5- 76). T E ~ HN 1 CAL DAT A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Second Fisheries Republic of Tunisia $67.6 million • BANK FINANCING: $28.5 million, for a term of 17 years, including 4 years of grace, at 7.9% interest per annum OTHER FINANCING: Sub-borrowers, $1.6 mill ion Governr ..~nt of Tunisia, $37 mil 1 ion Banque Nationa1e de Tunisie, $500,000 IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Ministry of Equipment 32 Rue Alain Savary Tunis, Tunisia Banque Nationale de Tunisie 19 Avenue de Paris Tunis, Tunisia Telex: 13810 , PROJECT DESCRIPTION: It consists of: a) constructing port infrastructure to serve as a base for fishing along the Tunisian coast; b) constructing shore facilities for boat repair, ice making, and cold storage; c) constructing 400 boats of 11 .25 meters length and 30 boats of 13.8 meters length; d) providing training equipment and vehicles; and e) providing technical assistance • for construction, supervision, training, and preparation of studies on the expansion of ports in Tabarka and Kelibia, and research on the potential of lagoon fishing and exploitable fish stocks. PROCUREMENT: The Harbor Departm2nt will group contracts for port works, shore facilities, and related equipment ($42.7 million) in lots of sufficient size to attract competition and award them through international competitive bidding (ICB), in accordance with Bank guidelines. Contracts not exceed- ing $250,000 for civil works (aggregate~ $750,000) and $100,000 for equipment (aggre- gate: $300,000) will be let under competitive bidding advertised locally. Boat huils ($9.3 million) will be procured by the Fisheries Authority on the basis of local com- petitive bidding. Contracts for fishing gear ($2.2 million), boat engines ($4.9 mil- lion),and refrigerated trucks ($2.2 million) will be procured by the Fisheries Authority under ICB. Vehicles and other equipment ($2 million) will be obtained under competitive bidding procedures advertised locally. Tunisian manufactiJrers will be granted a preference margin of 15% of the c.i.f. price or the customs duty, whichever is lower, for goods procured locally. CONSULTANTS: Consultant services will be provided for training of fishermen and instructors and for feasibility studies on the expansion of ports. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: 27% ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: i984 - 0 - •