Introduction

The United Arab Emirates is a coastal country located on the southern side of Arabian Gulf having extensive coastlines on its West and East facing the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman respectively. According to the hydrographic surveys conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Water of U.A.E., the water temperature ranges from 20°C to 34°C and salinity from 36.8 p p t to 43 p p t over an annual cycle at the surface layers in the coastal waters of U.A.E. As per the observations by Alkole and Solovion (1978) the plankton biomass showed an annual mean of over 200 mg/m3 for the Arabian Gulf. The sediments of U.A.E. shelf area consist mainly of muddy sand with shell fragments. Traditionally, fishing provided the main livelihood for the early population during the pre-oil discovery era. But later the oil recourses paved the way for the overall development of the country. The wise leadership of H.H. Sh. Zayed Bin Al Nahyan gave tremendous momentum for the covetalsle progress in trade and Industries, Agriculture and Fisheries and other spheres.

The Fishing Industry in the U.A.E.

The fishing industry in the U.A.E. is mainly artisanal. The national fisherman are given lot of incentive by the government by way of providing subsidized boats and engines to promote the fishing industry in the country. The statistics available for the estimated fish landing indicated that the catch increased from 95.1 x 103 tons in 1990 to 105.5 x 103 tons in 2000. The number of people engaged in fishing as a full time or part time fishermen showed an increase from 10,172 in 1990 to 15,543 in 2000 while the increase in the total number of fishing boats for the same period was from 3,321 to 4,688. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the yearly estimated data on the total catch, number of fishermen and boats respectively.

Fishing Crafts and Gears

In the past, the fishing was carried out using a variety of crafts indigenously fabricated which couldn't withstand in rough sea or weather conditions. But the present day fishing crafts are mostly wooden or fiberglass made which are relatively stable and heavy duty powered by either outboard or inboard engine.

Gears commonly used in U.A.E. are Fish traps, lines and hooks, beach line and gill nets. Fish traps are very widely used by the U.A.E. fishermen as the catch would be more fresh than those caught using gill net or other types of gear.

Fishing Regulations on Resource Exploitation and Management

The Ministry of Environment and Water has stipulated specific fishing regulations concerning the fishing gear, area, season and the workforce. As per the law, it is illegal to catch undersize fish, to use less than 2 inch mesh in fish traps or less 1½ inch fishing nets, to carry out the fishing operations in spawning and nursery areas during the restricted period and also to do fishing without the presence of a national on board of the vessel.

A more scientific approach is exercised on the fisheries planning and management. Bottom trawling is not allowed in the territorial waters of U.A.E. in order to protect the ecological equilibrium of the area and to avoid environmental devastation of the demersal fisheries. The government has provided free facilities for the repair of marine engines in workshops located at almost every fishing village. Marketing of the commodities is prompted by linking the various places by modern roads and by constructing markets with all necessary facilities for the proper storage and sale under hygienic conditions. Fishermen's co-operative societies are functioning at major fishing areas to look into their grievances and needs.

Aquaculture Activities

The Arabian Gulf area is a productive area as far as the marine resources are concerned. But there are occasional pollution scare due to heavy traffic of oil transportation, tanker accidents etc. In view of the vulnerable situation, the fisheries department has started aquaculture of certain locally important fish and shrimp species. Although on an experimental scale, the Marine Resources Research Center (MRRC) can successfully produce fingerlings under the conditions prevailing in U.A.E. Most of the fingerlings produced at the Center are being released to the lagoons and coastal areas in U.A.E. so as to enhance the resource potential of the area which is the general policy of the government. The fish species cultured at the center include Rabbitfish, Sea bream and Grouper while the Penaeus Semisuleatus is the shrimp species produced mainly.

Experimental studies also are being conducted at the Center on the growth rates of fish after feeding with various kinds of fish feeds. Survival rate of fish under polluted environment also investigated in certain experimental studies.

Early studies of the MRRC included hydrographic surveys of the coastal waters of U.A.E. and seasonal variations of the oceanographic parameters are already studied.

Fish Landing and Biological Studies

The Fisheries Department has been engaged in the collection of data and fishermen since 1980 and these are being published in the ministries year book annually. MRRC is carrying out certain biological studies on selected fish species to assess the age, spawning time and spawning age apart from the length and body weight particulars.

However, the U.A.E. has achieved self-sufficiency in fish and other marine products under the wise leadership of H.H. Sh. Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Hopefully more and more developments would take place in fisheries sector in the years to come.