Umm Al Quwain fish hatchery aims to boost output

UMM AL QUWAIN // In line with initiatives from President Sheikh Khalifa, the Ministry of Environment and Water has signed a memorandum of understanding with Al Muzdahira National Company for Farm Operations and Management, to operate Sheikh Khalifa Marine Research hatchery in Umm Al Quwain.

The operations will include producing economically valuable local fish fingerlings and reintroducing them in lagoons and marine conservatories.

The MoU’s ultimate aim is to create an integrated fish cultivation programme to increase fish production in the country and aims to produce an estimate of 10 million high quality, EU standard fish fingerlings of economically valuable local fish, such as Hammour, Subaiti, Sheim and Gabbit, over 3 years.

These efforts are a result of the ministry’s drive to protect and conserve the marine environment and its natural resources, in addition to reducing the pressure on the natural fisheries and contributing to the increase of fish production in the UAE, which is considered one of the main pillars to enhance food security.

Dr. Rashid Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, commented on the UAE’s long term strategic objectives that focus on protecting the environment from pollution and sustaining the environment for current and future generations. He added that farming technologies and aquaculture contribute to 50% of the global production rate of aquatic recourses, according the United Nations Food and Agriculture.

Reports show a significant decrease of 25.2% in fishing catches registered in the UAE, coupled with the decrease of demersal fish stock by 88% in UAE waters when compared to studies made by FAO in 1978 and the survey conducted on the Arabian Gulf on the GCC level during 2008-2011.

The results of the studies indicate that should fisheries keep deteriorating at the same rate, most of the economically viable fish will be extinct from regional waters of the UAE within two decades.

Mariam Harib, Head of MOEW technical team overseeing the implantation phases, said that the hatchery will contribute to the strengthening of UAE capacity building and national cadres in the field of aquaculture. She also noted that further research will be conducted to study and prepare an annual plan to specify the exact location and best methods to release the fingerlings.