Concerned councillors are calling for a comprehensive list of fish stocks in Bahrain’s territorial waters over concerns that some species are facing extinction over the next decade.
The Muharraq Municipal Council has urged the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry to carry out a study and present its findings on the current state of play.
Council chairman Ghazi Al Murbati said a statistical update was necessary to ensure that action is taken to save species under threat from over fishing, pollution and climate change.
“We need to know the current status of fish stocks in the country, because local markets appear scarce on quantities and qualities,” said Mr Al Murbati.
“Just a few years back, we seemed to have good stocks of fish but with reclamation eating up vast areas many fish have either died or migrated.
“Also, dredging has been instrumental in the destruction of the seabed witnessed over the years as it has hit coral reefs and led to mass deaths from either suffocation or fish getting shredded by the equipment.
“We don’t know what remains and what has since gone and it’s essential that we found out before it’s too late.”
Mr Al Murbati during yesterday’s meeting
He added that popular local fish like Burtam, Safi Senaifi and Butana appear to have disappeared from local waters and he was concerned that fishermen were catching remaining fish regardless of stock availability.
Bahrain has seasonal bans for crabs, shrimp and Kanad (kingfish) to protect stocks and allow them to replenish and environmentalists believe the measure should be expanded.
“Supplies of three of the country’s most popular fish are hard to find and either they are on the verge of extinction, hiding or have migrated somewhere else,” said Mr Al Murbati. “We need to know the current status of fish stocks so we could take protection decisions.”
Meanwhile, the council’s technical committee chairman Abdulaziz Al Ka’abi cut the chairman short claiming that fish will continue to die as land reclamation work continues at a pace.
Mr Al Ka’abi
“We understand that the country is progressing and developing with vast investments, but if we don’t protect our natural resources, we will either end up having to import fish or eat those bred in tanks,” said Mr Al Ka’abi.
“It’s an embarrassment that as an archipelago of islands we have such low stocks or that some of our most popular fish are no longer able to be caught.
“It is really sad that in a country that should have sufficient amounts of fish we are demanding to know what’s available.”
Professional Fishermen’s Society vice-president Jassim Al Jiran said the government needed to conduct a stock study immediately to protect remaining species.
Mr Al Jiran
“Stocks could be calculated using modern technologies of scanning the sea,” he said. “At least it would give a necessary indicator of what’s underwater.
“The situation is worrying and getting the statistics will certainly help with the next step the government needs to take.”
MPs claimed an alleged increase in industrial pollution and red tide, the common name for harmful algal blooms occurring along the coast, were the cause of thousands of dead fish washing ashore in Ma’ameer and Eker over the years.
Some answers may come in the near future. Last December, Bahrain set up a task force to study blueprints of its recently-announced new towns, as reported by the GDN.
His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, who also chairs the High Urban Planning Committee, issued an edict establishing the task force.
The team has been assigned to review and study the plans of the proposed cities to be developed in Fasht Al Jarm, Suhaila Island, Fasht Al Azm, Bahrain Bay and Hawar Islands.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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