Conservationists launch drive against overfishing in Gulf

Demand for fish in the Gulf region has put a significant burden on certain species, threatening some to near extinction. A fish consumption research carried out by Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) shows that about 66 per cent of UAE residents eat fish at least once a week. The most frequent selection is, of course, the hamour. Hamour is a member of the Grouper family that is popular in the Gulf region. It is considered by fishermen to be a lazy fish because it does not swim as much as other fish, so it's easy to catch. The hamour population has declined by about 90 per cent due to overfishing at seven times its natural sustainable level, research shows. EWS and WWF launched the "Choose Wisely" campaign to create awareness on the status of fish stocks in the UAE. "It has only been over the last three decades, with the commercialisation of this sector and habitat destruction, that we have started witnessing an alarming decline in our fish stock," said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, managing director of EWS. Risks The campaign aims to generate consumer awareness about the risks of excessive consumption, to control overfishing and to influence consumers to eat fish that is more abundant and allow the species at risk sufficient time to regenerate. "We bring this campaign to the residents of the UAE, aiming to empower them with consumer information about the status of these local valuable species, hoping to inspire them to ‘Choose Wisely'," he added. Overfishing is the practice of catching more fish than what the oceans can sustain, depleting the number of fish in population. Research shows that global fishing is currently 2.5 times larger than what the oceans can naturally sustain. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), 80 per cent of the world's main fish stocks are fully exploited, overexploited, depleted or recovering from depletion High demand for fish in the UAE, combined with loss of habitat due to pollution and coastal development, along with catching fish too young — before they can reproduce — have contributed to 60 per cent of fish caught almost reach the stage beyond sustainable levels. "Most fish we find on the market today are small juveniles. These fish have not had a chance to mature and produce eggs. In the case of Kanaad or Kingfish, 95 per cent of landed fish are immature. Similarly, for Zuraidi fish, 71 per cent of the catch comprises of fish smaller than the size at which they reach maturity," Darren Hiltz, project manager of the sustainable fisheries, told Gulf News. Sustainability Fishing in an environmentally friendly and responsible way helps ensure sustainability of species at risk. In doing so, fishing activities must be monitored and managed in order to keep fish at a level where reproduction keeps up with consumption demands. Additionally, fishermen must exercise caution as not to destroy marine habitats. The campaign hopes that people can say no to their popular choice of fish and supplement their favourites with fish types. Overfished species -    Hamour (orange spotted grouper) -    Shaari (spangled emperor) -    Fersh (painted sweetlips) -    Zuraidi (golden trevally) -    Kanaad( kingfish) -    Yemah (snub-nose emperor) -    Safi Arabi (white spotted spinefoot) -    Qabit (godlined seabream) Statistics of the Choose Wisely Survey -    66 per cent of UAE residents eat fish at least once a week -    27 per cent of UAE residents are aware of the threat of overfishing in the country's waters -    62 per cent say sustainability is an important factor when deciding which fish to buy -    70 per cent would like to see indicator labels on overfished species when buying or ordering fish (Note: Survey was undertaken by a market research agency as commissioned by EWS-WWF prior to the launch of the Choose Wisely campaign in 2010).