March 16, 2015

Under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Environment and Water has announced the opening of the Middle East region's first Aqua Middle East Exhibition and Conference, which will run from March 16 to March 18, 2015 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). The event is being held in collaboration with the with the 'Nor-Fishing" Foundation in Norway and the Chilean institution, 'Editec Editorial Group.

H.E. Minister Bin Fahad inaugurated the exhibition and Conference, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Fuad Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth, Sultanate of Oman, amidst a large crowd of experts, traders, investors and interested fish farming industries. In his speech, Bin Fahad thanked the attendees and expressed the country's commitment towards supporting international initiatives, projects and innovative solutions aimed at protecting the environment, particularly in the efforts to ensure the sustainability of water resources. He also acknowledged the strong support given by the government's wise leadership in helping reach the goals of UAE Vision 2021--achieving better progress, excellence and innovation across various environmental fields.

The exciting three-day Aqua Middle East Forum will witness the participation of more than 40 global and regional investment and fish farming companies from the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Chile, Australia, Denmark as well as other international and regional organizations. The

event is also expected to attract the participation of local and international suppliers to review the latest products and services in the fish farming segment, while also facilitating a fluid exchange

of best practices, knowledge and the latest innovations in marine research as well as scientific and technical breakthroughs in the aquaculture sector. The Ministry is helping organize the event with the chief aim of establishing a strong foundation for the development of the aquaculture industry, which is one of the fastest growing food sectors in the world.

According to Minister Bin Fahad, the event falls in line with the Ministry's move to reinforce the partnership of the public and private sector--one of the strategic objectives set by the government and the foundation of non-traditional economic models that provides the private sector with lucrative investment opportunities. The forum also provides the public segment with a competitive edge, as it also helps the country in its efforts towards green development.

The Minister also explained that the Aqua Middle East Forum will provide institutions, private sector companies, specialists and interested parties with potential opportunities from the aquaculture industry while also learning about its latest developments and hearing successful experiences from industry experts.

During the event, the Ministry will be throwing the spotlight on its achievements in the aquaculture industry and will also share its future programs, initiatives and projects--including the move to locally cultivate key fish species like grouper, sobaity, yellow fin, sea bream and alkabt. The Ministry will also review and discuss the growing number of fish farms in the country and share how these facilities can obtain proper licensing. The Ministry will also give an update on the latest developments of the Sheikh Khalifa Marine Research Centre in Umm Al Quwain, which is being set up in five stages and will play a significant role in the development of the country's aquaculture industry.

The UAE has placed strong focus and attention to the improvement and continued development of the industry, which began in 1984 when the MoEW established the country's first Marine Environmental Research Centre. However, the country's fish industry was then limited and dominated by the public segment until 1999 when the first private aquaculture facility was created.

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© Press Release 2015