The Ministry of Environment and Water revealed its successful participation in the 34th Meeting of the Standing Committee on Fisheries, which was held recently at its general Secretariat offices in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The meeting was held with the general aim of enhancing food security and protecting fisheries within GCC countries, which have been identified as vital and economic resources for the region.
Salah Al Raisi, Director of Fisheries, Ministry of Environment and Water, expressed the Ministry’s commitment towards the protection of fisheries and aquatic resources, which represents part of the country’s strategic objective to ensure and enhance food security. He further shared that the Ministry is currently working on the creation of new legislation that have been created with the goal of protecting and enhancing these resources from both a local and global perspective.
The 34th Meeting of the Standing Committee on Fisheries discussed timely topic and issues including the exploitation, protection and development of living aquatic resources and the development of solutions and procedures that are aimed at reducing the pressure on these natural resources. The meeting also covered discussions on the importance of aquaculture adoption—urging GCC member countries to encourage more investment opportunities in aquaculture, which offers key benefits like the enhancement of food security. The committee also agreed on further studying the recommendation to create a unified guideline and mechanism to ban the hunting of specific fish species during certain periods of the fishing season.
AL Raisi pointed out that the country’s pioneering focus on the development of the aquaculture segment is reflected in the establishment of the Sheikh Khalifa Marine Research Centre, which was opened under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. The centre, which is located in Umm Al Quwain, is expected to produce 10 million fish fingerlings for the country.
The Director of Fisheries also revealed that the Ministry is currently preparing for the launch of this year’s edition of the ‘Aqua Middle East Forum and Exhibition,’ which will throw the spotlight on the latest aquaculture products and services. The event aims to promote investment opportunities in aquaculture and encourage the exchange of best practices, innovations and related marine research. The accompanying exhibition will showcase the latest techniques, equipment and technology in aquaculture.
Also joining Director Raisi during the meeting was Halima Al Jasmi, a biologist from the Ministry's Fisheries Department.