'Vanishing' Fish Warning

July 7, 2009

Release from: Basma Mohammed
Gulf Daily News

BAHRAIN's fish stocks have decreased so drastically that they can no longer support the country's fishing industry, a government expert admitted yesterday. However, National Pisciculture Centre head Dr Abdulredha Shams claimed land reclamation was not the only reason for the massive decline.

He claimed over-fishing was a major factor. This is having a detrimental impact on Bahrain's fish stocks - particularly with fishermen catching half-grown fish in the process, he said.

"The increase in dhows is exhausting the fish stocks and not giving them a chance to renew for the next season," said Dr Shams.

"They catch small immature fish and this breaks the circle of life, not allowing a new generation of fish to breed again."

Dr Shams said current fish levels were only sufficient to support around 100 fishing dhows in Bahraini waters whereas 700 dhows were plying their trade here.

He however, conceded that land reclamation and sand dredging - in addition to illegal fishing - were major contributors to the crisis faced by the industry.

"These are the direct causes of fish stocks decreasing in the country, especially local species such as hammour and subaity," he said.

Dr Shams addressing a Press conference to announce the release of 200,000 young hammour and subaity into the sea.

The fish are being dispatched from the National Pisciculture Centre, Asker, which is battling to preserve Bahrain's fishing resources.

He said the centre was trying to help boost fish stocks by releasing young fish to the sea.

The fish are being released in 11 different locations off the Bahrain coast.

"The process started last week and will continue until all the fish are released into the sea," added Dr Shams.

The project first started in 1994 with hammour in a bid to revive the Gulf's fish stocks.

"We were releasing 10,000 fish annually then. Now it has risen to 200,000," he said.

The centre, known as Ras Hayan Fish Farm, is now focused on breeding local fish. "Our annual budget is BD200,000," said Dr Sha-ms.

He said although the centre's annual capacity is five million fish it was currently producing just 200,000 due to tight budget restrictions.

Dr Shams said Bahrain was still producing more young fish than other countries in the region. "Our productivity of juvenile fish is the highest when compared with GCC states, Iran, Lebanon and Syria," he added.