His Excellency (H.E.) Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW), recently met with members of the Municipal Council of Al Hamriyah to discuss the development of new services and how to extend more assistance to members of Sharjah’s local fishing community. The discussion focused on how the Ministry and the Municipal Council can identify and address the fishermen’s challenges such as the maintenance of aquatic fisheries to promote food safety and achieve the sustainability of these fisheries—which have been identified as part of the strategic objectives set by the Ministry in helping achieve UAE Vision 2021.
During the meeting, H.E. Dr. Bin Fahad listened to the suggestions and recommendations given by members of the Municipal Council on how to enhance the sustainability of aquatic living resources and how to strengthen and reorganize the fisher folk from Sharjah. In response to their suggestions, the MoEW Minister explained that the Ministry has placed great importance on the provision of strategic services for UAE fishermen, which is part of the efforts to enhance food safety and ensure the sustainability of domestic production. He added the MoEW is keen on consolidating its channels of communication with its partners; identifying the challenges these partners face; help overcome these obstacles and contribute to the further development of the fishing profession and industry.
H.E. Dr. Bin Fahad also reaffirmed the MoEW’s commitment to organize and support the fishing communities in the UAE, while also protecting the aquatic living resources and developing ways to keep them from being exploited. He added that the Ministry will continue to encourage the participation of all members of the fishing community in processes like decision making and achieving the MoEW vision of ensuring a sustainable environment for life.
Towards the end of the meeting, the members of the Municipal Council of Al Hamriyah presented H.E. Dr. Bin Fahad with a commemorative gift and thanked the MoEW for their continuing support and untiring efforts being made for the sake of continuity of the profession of fishing for future generations.
The meeting was also attended by MoEW senior officials H.E. Sultan Alwan, Assistant Undersecretary of Regions and Salah Al Raisi, Director of Fisheries Department. Members of the Municipal Council in Al Hamriyah who were present at the meeting included Hamid Saif bin Samha Al Shamsi, Chairman of Council; Hamid Fayez Al Shamsi, Vice President of the Council; Mubarak Rashid Al Shamsi, Director of the Municipality of Hamriya; Saif Khalifa Al Shamsi, Chairman of the Fishermen Association in Al Hamriyah, Sharjah and Ali Ghanem Al Shamsi, a member of the fishermen's Association.