Bleak future for sharks in the UAE

Posted By Sara-Lise Haith on Sunday Sep 28, 2008 @ 09:06 in Freediving

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Photograph: Barbara Lang-Lenton

Following the screening of "Shark water" in Dubai, hosted by the Emirates Diving Association (EDA), Mr. Ibrahim Al-Zubi, Environmental Advisor for the EDA, was invited last Friday to talk about sharks LIVE on Emirates News ( 8:30 pm News). He discussed the need of shark protection in UAE and the surrounding region.

In Article 29 of the UAE Federal Law 23 that: “The Minister shall determine the banned species of fish and marine creatures for catching for extracting their eggs, skins or fins, or for any other purposes.”  Further articles of the by-law 2001 stipulate that licenses are required to catch living marine creatures. 

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the UAE is one of the main Middle East exporters of shark fins to Hong Kong, exporting around 400-500 tonnes per year between 1998 and 2000.

The latest figures from 2003 show that shark catch went up to 3,060 tonnes a year in the UAE. "The UAE is an import-export hub, though it is not clear whether the number of shark fins exported originate entirely from the UAE or are just passing through the country," said Dr Christophe Tourenq, science and research manager for EWS-WWF. 

The efforts of the EDA and the UAE diving community have shown results as the Ministry of Environment announced this morning the Shark Fishing Ban Decree and it can be read in the Gulf News.