Sunday, Jun 09, 2013
Abu Dhabi: A recently issued temporary ban on new fishing boat licences in the UAE will not affect the availability of fish during the summer when the catch is already low, a senior official told Gulf News on Saturday.
The decision by the Ministry of Environment and Water two weeks ago to temporarily suspend the issue of licences for new fishing boats was taken to conserve fish stocks, said Sultan Abdullah Bin Alwan, Assistant Undersecretary for Water Resources and Natural Conservation at the ministry.
It will not affect the availability of fish during the summer because there is no restriction on existing fishing boats, he said.
Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahd, Minister of Environment and Water, recently said fish stocks in UAE waters decreased by 85 per cent between 1975 and 2010. However, the number of boats increased from 1,065 in 1976 to a staggering 6,370 in 2011.
Concerns over UAE fish stocks have grown recently as a total catch of just 75,147 tonnes was recorded in 2011, compared with 77,705 tonnes in 2009.
Bin Alwan said there had not been much demand for licences for new fishing boats because of certain restrictions imposed by the ministry. A new licence was only issued under special circumstances, the official said. A temporary ban on new fishing boat licences was first imposed nine years ago based on a survey of demersal fish stocks in the UAE in 2002.
Demersal fish live and feed on or near the bottom of the sea, such as crustaceans (shrimps, langoustine, lobster and crabs) and cephalopods (octopus, squid, calamari). The ban has been reinforced now based on the recent Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) survey of fish stock (which has revealed dwindling fish stock), he said.
“The ban is not for a definite period and the duration will certainly depend on the improvement of the condition of stock. There is high possibility the ban will stay for a long period of time,” he said.
This is one of the fisheries management tools to protect fish stocks and to take a step further towards sustainable fisheries, Bin Alwan said.
When asked about the quantity of fish to be saved by this decision, the official said it would not directly reflect on the immediate catch.
“It is to restrict the overall fishing capacity to what it is now, and stops further harm to be caused by additional fishing boats,” Bin Alwan said.
A huge chunk of fresh fish is imported from Oman, India, Pakistan, Norway, Turkey and many more nations, he said, without disclosing figures.
Frozen fish is imported from Vietnam, Myanmar, India, China and Thailand and many other countries.
The ban does not apply in cases where an existing fishing boat has been damaged or needs to be replaced. In cases where the boat’s owner is deceased, heirs who depend on fishing as a source of income can acquire a licence.
By Binsal Abdul Kader Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
