His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Representative of the Ruler in the Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Board of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, expressed optimism that the Authority has registered in the case of fish stocks of some major commercial fish species in the waters of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
His Highness said that the improvement came as a result of the policies, procedures and administrative measures that were taken to improve the deteriorating position of the stocks of the main types of fish that were subjected to depletion, within the framework of a comprehensive protection plan for their recovery and sustainability for future generations, within one year of their application, so that they are a vital tributary of the food security system in the country.
His Highness said, “Because fishing is an important part of our marine heritage, a plan to revive and replenish the fish stocks in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has to be developed, by following the best methods and methods to ensure the sustainability of fisheries, and implementing a series of decisive administrative measures and measures that reduce pressure on Fisheries in the commercial and recreational sectors, in addition to improving fish stocks and rehabilitating fisheries habitats.
His Highness commended the cooperation of the fishermen in implementing the decisions and followed procedures that have contributed greatly to reducing the effects of overfishing on the marine environment and in achieving a balance between environmental, economic and social goals, which will ensure the renewal and recovery of fish stocks, expressing his highness hope that the fish stock will witness more Improvement.
For his part, the Vice-Chairman of the Authority’s Board of Directors, Mohamed Ahmed Al-Bawardi, considered the results achieved by the authority as a step in the right direction to rebuild the main fish stocks above the sustainable threshold of 30% for fisheries management, as well as managing commercial fisheries in an effective manner that ensures environmental stability and is consistent with meeting the needs of Population.
It is noteworthy that the Authority monitors fish stocks according to the main sustainability indicators, the ratio of the average size of the mature stock (fish capable of reproduction) for species of grouper, capillary, brushes, canad and sustainable fishing, which describes the proportion of species that are exploited in a sustainable manner out of the total catch. .