April 10, 2012

 

 

Nearly one tonne of undersized fish stocks was seized from markets in Dubai, a senior Dubai Municipality (DM) official revealed.

 

Khalid Mohammed Sharif, director of Food Control Department at the DM, said this huge quantity of restricted fish stock was unearthed during the civic inspections at the fish markets.

 

"The quantity of seized fish stock is 890 kilogrammes, out of 300,000 kilogrammes of the total fish stock, brought to the market during the inspection campaign. This illegal fish stock is estimated at a 0.03% of the total traded fish in Dubai markets," disclosed Sharif.

 

Along with federal measures to ensure the UAE's fish stocks are making a positive impact, the Dubai Municipality has mandated prevention of catching and selling 14 types of juvenile fish species.

 

"Catching the juvenile fish varieties is strictly controlled in the emirate as it adversely affects the breeding of various fish species in the waters, eventually minimising their availability. A series of measures have been implemented to help conserve fish resources," Sharif pointed out.

 

"Strong punitive measures have been enforced on the violators. In the event of repeated violations, huge fines will be imposed on them. The municipality's monitoring section on marine products had already completed inspection procedures prior to the launch of the campaign," he added.

 

The UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) banned in 2010 fishing and marketing of 15 undersized fish species. Catching them in their infantile stage could lead to diminishing their stock in the waters.

 

According to Sharif, the municipality is helping to ensure the sustainability of the fishing industry, safeguard food security and promote economic development by studying, monitoring and regulating the fish stock.

 

The DM issued a circular on the banned small fish items with their pictures and allowed sizes. The circular was distributed to all fishermen and merchants in the emirate. Posters with details of the banned items were distributed in all fishing areas of the emirate, and signboards were installed in different places of the fish market, aimed at protecting the fisheries.

 

An index developed for the commercial fisheries sector showed a significant increase in the quantity of sustainably exploited fish species in landings, from 10% in 2005 to 23% in 2010.

 

However, the fish stocks are still over-exploited and more effort needs to be done to conserve them, experts warned.

 

 They called for implementing a number of comprehensive fisheries management regulations and initiatives aimed at re-building the country's fish stocks.

 

The fisheries are an important component of the cultural heritage of coastal communities in the UAE. They offer a source of employment and recreation as well as contribute to the food security of the country.