Relationship Between Fishing Activities And Socio-economic Growth In Comoros

The contribution of the fishing industry to the country’s economic growth cannot be overstated.It is critical to the long-term viability of many families and neighborhoods,as well as the elimination of poverty.In Comoros,the fisheries sector is expected to contribute about 3% of the country’s GDP and 5% of the agriculture GDP.However,there is a general lack of awareness or recognition of the importance of the fishing industry to the Comorian economy.Because of this lack of awareness,the fisheries industry has a low profile on the political agenda,and hence attracts little consideration during the policy formulation period.There is an argument to be made that the fisheries sector’s contribution to the national economy is underrepresented in official GDP statistics.It is in this regard that this study embarked to investigate the relationship between fishing activities and socio-economic growth in Comoros.The study was guided by the following specific objectives: To assess of the effects of total fishing production on social economic growth in Comoros;to determine long-run and short-run relationship between fishing activities and social economic growth in Comoros;to understand the effects explanatory variables(employment in the fisheries sector,export earnings from fisheries products and FDI inflows into the fishing industry)on social economic growth in Comoros;and to draw policy implications from the results of objectives above.A co-relational research methodology was implemented in the report and secondary data was used.Causality,cointegration and multiple regression analysis was carried out.The findings of the econometric tests revealed that: Total fishing productions has a positive and significant impact on social economic growth in Comoros.Fishing activities creates employment of persons in fisheries sector;export earnings from fish and aquatic products;FDI inflows to the fishing industry which have a positive and significant impact on social economic growth in Comoros.There is also double-track causality between all the variables and social economic growth.Based on the findings,the analysis concluded that there is a long-term association between fishing activities and social economic growth in Comoros.The study made various recommendations on how to promote fisheries sector so as to be a major contributor of social economic growth in Comoros.