Fishermen to get Dh3.8m subsidy

The yearly subsidies will be given out to local fishermen to support the industry, officials announced today.

Subsidies worth Dh3.8 million per year will be given out to local fishermen to support the industry, officials announced today. The initiative will target poor local fishermen from all the seven emirates, entitling them to fuel allowances worth from Dh500 to Dh800 per month. The Ministry of Environment and Water has already started issuing the registration cards that will enable those eligible to claim their fuel money. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Foundation and Dubai Islamic Bank are footing the bill. A total of 581, out of more than 6,000 local fishermen in the country will be given the subsidy. The total number of fishermen in the country has been rising steadily and is now at around 22,000 people. That growth has lead to pressure on the UAE's fishing resources but Ministry officials hope a cap on the number of boats and a recently introduced minimum length requirements for the catch will help remedy the situation. [e-mail]