Umm Al Quwain/Dubai: Fishermen along the coastline of Umm Al Quwain have claimed that diesel leaking from a ship is not only spreading on the sea surface but also contaminating daily catches of fish.
Anglers told Gulf News on Monday that sighting of dead fish in the water has become more common in recent days and this is believed to be connected to the fuel spill.
Consumers in Umm Al Quwain on Monday said they were hesitant to buy fish from their own emirate as well as Sharjah and Ajman for fear of eating contaminated fish. They are instead buying fish from the fish market in Deira where prices appear to have increased in recent weeks by as much as 25 per cent in some cases.
Fish vendors at the market told Gulf News that prices have jumped due to worries about the diesel spill and lower volume of local fish caught due to fewer fishing forays into the sea because of the rough seas of late.
Meanwhile, federal government officials downplayed fears by Khalid Port authorities that the sunken vessel, White Whale, could pose a threat to the marine environment if the 1,000 tonnes of diesel fuel in the ship's hold escapes.
Sultan Abdullah Alwan, Assistant Undersecretary of the external sector audit at Ministry of Environment and Water, issued a statement yesterday insisting that efforts were under way to contain any leakage.
Monitor the scene
Lying on the seafloor 35 kilometres off Umm Al Quwain since she foundered in late October, the White Whale "does not pose a threat to the marine environment", Alwan said.
The ministry has formed a special team to monitor the scene and submit periodic reports on the ship's condition, Alwan said.
During site visits, Alwan said the team has been collecting and assessing information on the location of the sunken vessel to contain any adverse environmental effects due to the incident.
The team is also looking at ways to safely salvage the ship.
