Low fish stocks threaten Bahrain's fishing industry

Bahrain's fish stocks have fallen so drastically the country's fishing industry is under threat, a government official warned.Dr Abdulredha Shams, head of the National Pisciculture Centre, said land reclamation work and over fishing were to blame for the reduced numbers.

"The increase in dhows is exhausting the fish stocks and not giving them a chance to renew for the next season," Dr Shams told the Gulf Daily News.

"They catch small immature fish and this breaks the circle of life, not allowing a new generation of fish to breed again."

Current fish levels are not sufficient to support the 700 fishing dhows which operate in Bahraini waters and numbers should be reduced to around 100, he said.

Land reclamation and sand dredging also contributed to declining fish numbers.

"These are the direct causes of fish stocks decreasing in the country, especially local species such as hammour and subaity," he said.

Earlier this year, Bahraini fishermen went on a week-long strike over proposed coastal developments.

The Fishermen's Protection Society has claimed land reclamation work over the last five years has drastically depleted fish stocks and robbed them of 80% of their earnings.

Some 200,000 young hammour and subaity were released into the sea on Monday as part of a scheme to increase fish stocks.