FILE PHOTO: A vendor displays fresh imported shrimps at the Sharq fish market during a daily auction on July 5, 2018. —Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: Kuwait Fishermen Union held a seminar on shrimping in international waters. The seminar was held at the union's headquarters in Sharq in the presence of deputy director for fish resources affairs at the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) Marzouq Al-Habbi, and marine formations manager at the Coastguards General Department Col Tareq Al-Wazaq.

Speaking the seminar, Habbi urged fishermen to respect the rules of fishing in international waters by not sailing out farther than 12 marine miles and stressed that strict measures would be taken by PAAAFR's marine control department in collaboration with naval and coastguard forces, who will be present to protect fishermen. Habbi also warned fishermen against violating neighboring countries' national waters. "The rules of shrimping in international waters have been the same for almost 10 years now, but this year we will have more protection and control," he underlined.

Responding to a question about re-allowing trawling, Habbi stressed that it is currently allowed only in international waters and Kuwait's economic waters, while allowing it in national waters is still being studied by the Cabinet. Habbi stressed the shrimping season commences on Aug 1 in all GCC states and that the season's conclusion is usually subject to the amount of shrimp reserves left.

Wazaq said that the date to launch shrimping in international waters was determined in coordination with relevant bodies at PAAAFR and stressed that coastguards will be always patrolling the seas to make sure PAAAFR decisions were respected. Wazaq also urged fishermen to take their passports with them on sailing out from Doha port and Um Al-Maradem island to international waters and advised them to have all safety gear available onboard, as they would be inspected at coastguard checkpoints. Wazaq stressed that coastguard patrols would be available 24/7 to protect and rescue fishermen in collaboration with navy forces.

Protection for fishermen

Also speaking at the seminar, the union's chairman Thaher Al-Sowayyan demanded full protection for fishermen against pirates in international waters, reminding that many Kuwaiti fishing boats had been raided by pirates. He also expressed disappointment for suspending shrimping in national waters until further notice, noting that the decision had caused considerable losses to fishing boat owners.

Sowayyan urged the government to reconsider the decision on grounds that shrimp only remain in national waters for a limited period before moving out to some neighboring countries' waters, where they catch and export them to Kuwait to be sold as imported shrimps, while they are originally local ones. Sowayyan earnestly urged the government to move the imported fish auction out of the Sharq fish market, reminding that it had been only moved there from Mubarakiya temporarily for two months. He also warned that imported fish were being sold at Sharq fish market as local ones, which can lead to commercial fraud such as the recent case where imported fish were stuffed with steel nails to increase their weight.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi