Help sought to clear lost fishing traps

Dibba Al Fujairah Fishermen's Association has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to help solve the problem of lost wire fishing traps - or gargeers - on the sea bed.

Sulaiman Rashid Al Khadeem, Chairman of the association in Dibba Al Fujairah, said: "For various reasons, a large number of wire fishing traps are lost on the seabed, inside which are large quantities of dead, rotting fish. This could pollute the water and cause long term problems."

Some of these traps are lost, he said, when fishing boats set sail at night and accidentally cut the ropes connecting the traps on the sea bed with buoys on the surface.

"Strong winds, high tidal waves, and strong currents are other reasons which cause the traps to move from their location and get lost," he added. Carelessness and greed were other reasons.

"Some people steal traps belonging to other fishermen to get at the fish inside. They cut the ropes connecting the traps and throw the traps on the seabed, causing another kind of marine pollution."

He asked the ministry to take up the matter and to even try to introduce traps of a special biodegradable kind of wire.

Al Khadeem said local fishermen used to place their fish traps in several spots where they could catch more fish. Each trap could be used from six months to a year and then had to be replaced by new.

"The loss of wire traps has a negative impact on fish stock in the region. The dead fish in these lost traps cause other species to desert the area," Al Khadeem added.