Dubai: Sheri and Safi fish will return to Dubai markets from Tuesday after a two-month ban imposed by Dubai Municipality in implementation of the special ministerial decree to protect these fishes during their breeding season.
The decree No. 501 of 2015 regulates fishing and marketing of these varieties of fish in their breeding season during the period from March 1 to April 30 of each year.
Dubai Municipality, as the competent authority in the emirate of Dubai, has been keen to implement the federal laws and regulations governing the exploitation of marine resources and prevent their depletion, Hussain Nasser Lootah, director general of Dubai Municipality said in a press statement.
He also expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to the fishermen and fish sellers who showed an unswerving commitment during the embargo period, which ended without violations and 100 per cent commitment in all markets, shopping malls and other outlets.
“This is an evidence of their keenness to preserve the emirate’s fish wealth and prevent its depletion. The objectives of the ban seemed clear to them and they were keen to implement the decision, not out of fear of violations, but in order to increase the stock of fish of these two species to benefit them after the embargo period,” said Lootah.
He stressed that the Dubai Municipality teams worked together with the officials concerned in the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment to complete the plan of control and inspection of fish markets and outlets in the emirate to enforce the decision.
Alia Al Harmoudi, director of Environment Department at Dubai Municipality explained that the inspectors and officers of the department accomplished 100 per cent of the plan that had been put in place to enforce the ban, through inspection campaigns on 400 fish benches at the fish markets in Deira and at the Fishermen’s Port at Umm Suqeim.
“Shops selling fresh fish in 42 shopping centers were also inspected,” said Al Harmoudi.
She stressed that awareness campaigns initiated by the municipality from January played a major role in ensuring the commitment of fishermen and vendors in complying with the ministerial decree.
