UAE issues rule on catching pelagic fish
Encircling nets will be allowed between November 1 and April 30
Dubai: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has issued a resolution regulating the catching of pelagic fish using encircling nets, to preserve and ensure the sustainability of fish stocks.
Pelagic fish live neither close to the bottom of the sea nor near the shore.
The decree allows fishermen registered with the ministry and running speed boats to use encircling nets that meet its specifications to harvest pelagic fish between November 1 and April 30, 2020.
Halima Essa Al Jasmi, head of the ministry’s fisheries section, said: “Giving fish time to replenish their stocks during their spawning season and grow to sizes that maximise their market value is critical to sustain the nation’s fisheries as well as fishermen’s livelihoods.”