The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and Fish Farm LLC installed 300 artificial caves made of eco-friendly materials across 30 sites, stretching from Al Baiya Island in Fujairah to Loulouiya Harbor in Sharjah, to enhance fish stocks in UAE waters.
The installation sites were carefully chosen in proximity to the country’s coasts with the aim of bringing fishing areas closer to shore to reduce the operational costs of fishing trips and eliminate the risks associated with deep-sea fishing.
Salah Al Rayssi, Director of the Fisheries Sustainability Department at MOCCAE, said that the Ministry’s collaboration with Fish Farm LLC is a prime example of a productive public-private partnership that enhances the sense of corporate social responsibility among private sector companies. He added that MOCCAE strives to support the traditional occupation of fishing and improve the sustainability of fisheries in the country.
Al Rayssi said: “I thank the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) in Sharjah, Dibba Al Fujairah Municipality and Fish Farm LLC for their continued support of the Ministry’s strategic objective of developing the UAE’s natural resources.”
Professor Awatif Al Naqbi, Eastern Region Branch Manager at EPAA, highlighted the vital role MOCCAE’s initiative plays in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the local fishing industry.
She added: “EPAA is committed to helping achieve sustainable development through adopting the latest technologies and solutions that boost the efficiency of environmental protection. In doing so, we aim to facilitate the federal and local authorities in their efforts to promote a culture of sustainability and enhance the UAE’s green economy.”
Fatima Al Hantoubi, Head of Environmental Protection and Natural Reserves at Dibba Al Fujairah Municipality, said the Municipality partnered with MOCCAE in installing the artificial caves to develop living aquatic resources along the eastern coast of the UAE.
She added: “Through such initiatives, we seek to build artificial habitats that provide a safe environment for the breeding of fish and other marine species. We helped the Ministry identify the most suitable locations for the caves along the eastern coast and are overseeing the positioning of the caves to ensure optimal results. We will periodically monitor these areas and promote them as ideal fishing sites.”
To date, the Ministry has installed 1,000 out of 1,300 artificial caves at various fishing sites across the UAE, as part of the Artificial Caves Program launched by MOCCAE in 2016. The installation will continue as per the schedule until end-2018.
In line with these efforts, the Ras Al Khaimah Environmental Protection and Development Authority (EPDA-RAK) installed 600 artificial caves in a protected area in the emirate. Furthermore, MOCCAE plans to add 200 artificial caves to Zayed Marine Reserves, a project launched with 100 caves in April 2018 in Jumeirah Fishing Harbour as part of the Ministry’s Year of Zayed initiatives.