Weather prompts fishing ban that sees market prices rise sharply

FUJAIRAH // Poor weather conditions in recent days have halted fishing off the east coast and led to an increase in fish prices.

All fishing activities have been on hold since Thursday owing to unstable weather and high waves, which in turn led to fish prices increasing by as much as 25 per cent.

The fishing ban also affected fishermen, who are losing an ­estimated Dh4,000 a day.

“There is nothing we can do right now except wait for the wind to calm down. Each one of us should have made Dh4,000 to Dh5,000 per day because it’s the time of the year when we catch many kinds of fish,” said Jassim Ahmad, a 57-year-old Emirati fisherman in Fujairah.

“We didn’t go fishing since last Thursday and they told us that the wind might calm down after Tuesday. If the weather continues like this, we will have issues paying our bills and wages.”

The head of Dibba Fishermen Association highlighted the danger of going to sea when high winds cause high waves.

“It’s considered risky, that’s why they banned any fishing ­activity,” said Suleiman Al Khuddam. More info

By Ruba Haza  thenational.ae