New fishing rules in Fujairah

The Fujairah Fishing Organising Committee (FFOC) has issued a number of rules aimed at organising fishing in the emirate, and limit the number of expatriate fishermen.

The rules set the number of expatriate fishermen employed by UAE nationals to only two per boat.

The number of expatriate fishermen used for catching Daghawa fish is not specified by the rules, as it requires a relatively larger labour force to drag 'leekhs' (fishing nets) out of the water.

It is prohibited for UAE national fishermen to register new fishing boats. This condition was set to curb excessive fishing, protect the fish population, and give an opportunity to a larger number of UAE nationals to take up fishing as a profession.

The rules order fishermen to lay their fishing nets within an area extending no more than two nautical miles from the shore into the sea.

No fisherman is allowed to lay his nets beyond this zone.

The rules set a time for fishing by net starting from dawn to 6pm, thus preventing fishermen from cashing in on the dark hours.

The FFOC ordered fishermen to use nylon fishing nets, as ordered by Emiri Decree No. 1, issued by His Highness Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah.

The rules exempt elderly UAE national fishermen from the condition of producing certificates of good conduct when they register their boats, or renew their registration.