The number of fish sustainably caught in Abu Dhabi’s waters has surged over the past three years.
An index measuring sustainable exploitation ― which is the amount of fishing that does not have a negative impact on marine ecosystems – rose from 8.9 per cent in 2018 to 62.3 per cent in 2021, Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi said on Monday.
The statistics show recoveries in average mature stocks of some of the most threatened species, such as hammour, which increased from 15.8 per cent in 2020 to 20.5 per cent over the same period.
It means at least 70 per cent of the emirate’s fish stock could recover sustainably by 2030 if current fishing practices and conservation efforts continue.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and chairman of the EAD, said the fishing sector in the emirate of Abu Dhabi was under pressure due to the over-exploitation of fisheries and their severe depletion.
"This required the implementation of a set of international procedures and standards for the management of fisheries in Abu Dhabi, which today, has succeeded in achieving remarkable results," said Sheikh Hamdan, paying tribute to all involved from fishermen to the Minstry of Climate Change and Environment.
“The measures taken ... will contribute to enabling fish stocks to recover on the long run, allowing at least 70 per cent of our fisheries' resources to recover sustainably by 2030," he said.
The indicator was calculated in 2021 by evaluating 32 species, which represents 98.6 per cent of landings that year.
The percentage of fish old enough to spawn, allowing for the renewal of the population, also increased.
The recovery follows a string of rules introduced by the EAD to save stocks, after a 2019 report highlighted how overzealous fishing practices had wiped out some species and pushed other populations to the brink of collapse.
The EAD survey revealed drops in fish populations of some 200 species due to overfishing, suggesting hammour, sheri and farsh were being fished between three and five times the sustainable limits.
Authorities swung into action and that year banned gargoor nets ― a traditional fishing cage blamed for decimating the stock of hammour and farsh. These stocks at one point declined to just 10 per cent of their adult stock size compared to levels in 1978.
The EAD also banned encircling nets, established marine reserves, implemented seasonal fishing bans, set out minimum catch sizes and also ran awareness campaigns for local fishermen.
"We must preserve the fishing heritage passed on from our ancestors for our future generations, so that they can enjoy the goodness of our land and our cultural and natural heritage," said Sheikh Hamdan.
"We must preserve the fishing heritage passed on from our ancestors for our future generations."
UAE sustainability projects - in pictures
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium, Malayisa
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia on October 10
Results
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Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
57%20Seconds
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New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, Friday, March 29, 5pm at The Sevens, Dubai
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company%20profile
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Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
