Dubai: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has begun enforcing Ministerial Decree No. 695 for the year 2016 on regulating surface fishing using surrounding nets.
The resolution reflects the ministry’s aim to regulate professional fishing to preserve, develop and ensure the sustainability of fish stocks, and enhance food security by protecting fish stocks from depletion.
Salah Abdullah Al Rayssi, director of Sustainability of Marine and Coastal Environments at MOCCAE, said that in “line with the objectives of the ministry’s strategy and as a core pillar of the UAE Vision 2021, this decision promotes food safety, sustainability of domestic production and conservation of the marine environment. By banning surface fishing during a specific period of time, the ministry aims to support the preservation, development and sustainability of fish stocks through allowing fish time to lay eggs and set off migration.”
The legislation regulates surface fishing using surrounding nets by standardising the specifications of the seines that should be used during fishing. The legislation further specifies the open season for surface fishing to be from October 15 of every year to May 15 of the following year, to avoid depletion of fish as they are an important and dependable source of nourishment.
