An annual two-month ban on catching kingfish, popularly known as channad, using nets in the territorial waters of the kingdom is set to take effect on Saturday.
According to the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE), only fishing lines will be permitted for the two months, from August 15 to October 15.
This comes as part of ongoing efforts to preserve marine resources and ensure the sustainability of the kingdom’s marine environment.
“The ban on catching kingfish using nets reflects Bahrain’s commitment to protecting marine stocks and ensuring their sustainability in its territorial waters, as well as safeguarding them during the fertilisation and breeding period,” the council said in a statement.
“This will have a positive impact on their availability in local markets during the fishing season.”
The SCE also stressed the need for fishermen to comply with the ban, noting that any illegal fishing of kingfish during this period will subject offenders to legal action.
It explained that fishermen whose fishing gear catches these marine species during the ban must immediately return them to the sea, taking the necessary care to ensure their safety.
Bahrain has seasonal bans on catching certain species. This includes a ban on fishing safi, sheri and andaq in April and May.
There is also an annual six-month ban on shrimping, which this year took effect on February 1 and was lifted on August 1.
A ban on fishing, selling, or trading 18 species of juvenile fish, crustaceans and marine life is also strictly enforced by the authorities.
The GDN reported in January that last year, fish supplies in the kingdom’s markets totalled 6,849.6 tonnes, with the highest monthly figure recorded in November at 1,055.1 tonnes.
The data was released as part of a detailed ministerial response to a parliamentary question by Mohammed Al Rifai on the regulation of the marine fishing sector.
Oil and Environment Minister and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs Dr Mohammed Bin Daina stressed that regulatory measures were not arbitrary, but grounded in scientific, technical and economic studies aimed at safeguarding Bahrain’s marine future.
The measures aim to give key species, including rabbitfish, emperor fish and kingfish, time to mature and reproduce, while protecting reef areas that serve as natural nurseries, Dr Bin Daina added.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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