As fish populations across the globe face growing pressures from an increasingly industrialised fishing industry, aquafarming is sometimes regarded as a more sustainable way to satisfy demand.
An expert in fisheries conservation has suggested the UAE could take a new approach to the sector by creating facilities underground to alleviate the heating effect of the country’s extreme climate.
Abundant sunlight would allow energy-intensive aquafarms to be run sustainably using solar power, said Prof Michel Kaiser, chief scientist and professor of fisheries conservation at the Lyell Centre at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, which also has a Dubai campus.
Prof Kaiser spoke to The National about aquafarming in the UAE before he takes part this month in 'What will we eat?', a summit at Expo 2020 Dubai.
It makes logical sense to put these facilities underground to control temperature
Prof Michel Kaiser,
Heriot-Watt University
“The latest technology will see us take the production of marine species on to land,” he said.
“It makes logical sense to put these facilities underground to control temperature. They tend to be quite energy-intensive. You have plentiful supply of sun, so these could be powered by solar energy.
“As soon as you move away from the coastal areas, you have lots of land available to be used in the desert.”
The UAE already has an aquaculture sector, including Al Jaraf Fisheries, which farms shrimp and various fish in the waters at Bal Rumaid Island near Abu Dhabi.
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Another company, Fish Farm, rears fish in cages off the coast of Dibba in Fujairah, has a hatchery in Umm Al Quwain and an inland farm at Jebel Ali, where salmon are reared.
The industry has developed here at a time when overfishing in the sea is becoming a growing environmental and food security concern.
Research released in 2019 indicated that nearly all of the Arabian Gulf and the waters off the UAE’s east coast were among the 10 per cent of the world’s sea area most at risk from overfishing.
Average per capita annual fish consumption in the UAE is 25.3 kilograms, officials say, about 4kg higher than the global average, and with the country’s population continuing to grow, demand for fish could increase.
Concerns about overfishing in the Arabian Gulf are echoed on a global scale, with the United Nations saying last year that 90 per cent of big fish populations were depleted.
Figures from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation quoted by the journal Nature indicate that, in 2018, aquafarming produced 82.1 million tonnes of animals – including fish and shrimp – worldwide, compared to 97 million tonnes for wild fisheries.
Forecasts indicate aquaculture could grow by one third by the end of this decade and will overtake catches from the wild.
Bivalve molluscs, such as mussels and oysters, which filter plant material from the water, are sometimes described as more sustainable when grown in aquaculture than, for example, salmon, which are typically fed fish caught in the wild, although the efficiency of such systems has improved considerably.
While aquaculture in the UAE is used to provide food, and in doing so may alleviate pressure on wild populations, Prof Kaiser said it could also contribute to the conservation of marine species through the rearing and releasing of fish.
“Most people haven’t talked about it in terms of its role contributing to conservation. I think there’s a significant role it could play,” he said.
Similar work can take place with coral and last year Abu Dhabi announced a plan to rehabilitate more than a million colonies of coral through replanting.
Prof Kaiser said heat-tolerant species in the Gulf may be suitable for also repopulating reefs in other parts of the world where temperatures are increasing.
“The coral species that you have are already functioning at the upper limit of seawater temperatures,” he said.
“If the Gulf region corals are more tolerant, they could be more relevant if used in restoration. The Gulf region could be helping out other regions by transporting offshoots.”
The 'What will we eat?' summit takes place on February 17 at the UK pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Among those giving speeches will be George Eustice, the UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, while Prof Kaiser will take part in a panel discussion on 'How to feed the world without destroying the planet'.
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
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Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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