CAIRO — Egypt is planning to increase fish productivity at one of its most prominent lakes — Lake Bardawil, which lies on the northern coast of the Sinai Peninsula — as part of a wider project aimed to develop the lake.

On Nov. 24, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued directives to begin the new phase of the development of Lake Bardawil aimed at ramping up the lake’s fish production from 4,000 to 11,000 tons annually in the short term, and 50,000 tons in the medium term.

In May 2017, Sisi had launched a national project for the development of the northern lakes — Manzala, Burullus, Edku, Bardawil and Mariout — with the aim to restore their previous natural status as a main source of fish wealth, as these lakes are a source of livelihood for thousands of fishermen and their families.

These lakes are also of great economic importance for the Egyptian state, as they account for more than 75% of the harvest of the total lake production in Egypt. However, the lakes are facing several threats, including erosion amid high levels of pollution resulting from the expansion of agricultural and industrial activities and the spread of fish farms.