Our oceans are as important as our oil

The ocean was our oil. It supplied us with our fish and our pearls, which made up the backbone of our economy. It may have been humble, but over 60 years ago it was a business model that turned our deserts into thriving coastal towns.

It would have made sense, being surrounded by a desert landscape, to aggressively develop this renewable natural resource (our fisheries) into a thriving industry, one that would rival Norway and Japan. However, the discovery of oil in the 1950s changed everything.

Despite the focus and reliance on the petroleum industry, much can still be said about the initiatives put in place by our government to develop our fisheries and the profession of fishermen.

Major milestones include the establishment of a ministry to oversee all areas pertaining to our environmental affairs. In addition, the introduction of legislation to regulate fisheries practices, primarily Federal Law No 23, which came into force in 1999, laid out the major framework for the development and protection of our fisheries.

In conjunction with the federal system, local governments in each Emirate have embarked on their own initiatives in regulating activities pertaining to ports, fish markets, coastal development and fishermen's co-operatives.

For example, private sector and local government initiatives in some emirates have resulted in the development of artificial reefs that promote the growth of fish stocks. To limit over-fishing, stringent regulations on issuing new commercial and recreational fishing licences were also instituted.

Further, the Ministry of Environment provides subsidies that primarily go towards "payment of compensation for various types of loss [fishing gear, catch, etc.] or the provision of free or heavily subsidised services such as motor repair".

The ministry has also founded the Marine Resources Research Centre in Umm Al Quwain, which has made substantial contributions to our fisheries. In addition, recently a committee was formed by the ministry to study and curb the ‘red tide' phenomenon that has seriously affected fisheries and the livelihood of fishermen over the last couple of years.

In spite of all the above, statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) show that both commercial and non-commercial fish stocks have seriously declined in UAE waters over the past 25 years due to ‘over-exploitation' and ‘coastal development and urbanisation.'

The protection and development of our fisheries was the subject of our last parliamentary debate, which left the Minister of Environment seemingly frustrated with the large number of questions and parliament seriously questioning the future of our fishery resources.

There is no doubt about the commitment of the Ministry of Environment, as evidenced through its numerous initiatives, but what is of concern is the ministry's effectiveness in actually protecting and developing our fisheries.

There are several areas that must be urgently addressed. Firstly, we need to review and update the federal legislation that shapes the fishery management landscape in our country. We must reach beyond the purely administrative issues to tackle all the factors that affect fisheries. Only through the application of a comprehensive federal law can we ensure the sustainability or our shared resource.

FAO studies also show that fish farming is considered to be one of "the fastest growing food production systems in the world" with expectations that fish farming can seriously contribute to "food security and poverty alleviation". In light of this, we should adopt an aggressive policy towards promoting fish farming in the UAE.

We need institutionalised mechanisms to ensure coordination between the federal and local entities that are managing the various areas pertaining to the protection and development of our fisheries. The ministry should partner with local media to create awareness about this resource, not purely as a part of our heritage, but as a part of sustainable development and economic potential. We must also pursue partnerships with neighbouring countries to share and learn best practices.

We need to promote effective Emiratisation programmes through practical means. Current legislation mandates the presence of an Emirati fisherman on the fishing vessel as the captain; however, many of the national fishermen who were interviewed spoke negatively of this clause in the law.

They argued that it hindered their productivity, because there are simply not enough qualified Emiratis available for this role due to the lack of sufficient educational programmes to train them. In addition, the monetary incentives and job security are simply inadequate to encourage Emiratis, especially young adults, to take up this profession.

Most of the required initiatives will not be possible without robust government funding and active partnerships with the private sector, so it is incumbent on our government to develop a concerted approach.

Finally, civil society, which includes you, needs to start being a part of the solution. This begins by educating yourself about environmental issues and promoting awareness in your circle of family and friends. Do what you can to keep our oceans clean through responsible behaviour and volunteering to participate in clear-up operations.

I encourage this because our natural resources are at the heart of the issue of sustainable development in all our societies. In our harsh and arid environment, our natural renewable resources are all we really have. We have to begin to imagine a sustainable world without oil; otherwise we are living on borrowed time. Our natural renewable resources — in this case our fisheries — must have a central role in that future.

Najla Al Awadhi is a member of the Federal National Council.