Fishermen have protested a government decision to extend Bahrain's seasonal ban on shrimping.

The ban is imposed in Bahraini waters from March 15 to July 15, but will now last until September 15 following an order from the Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

More than 100 fishermen from around the country gathered at the Fishermen's Protection Society in Muharraq yesterday to discuss the repercussions of the decision, which they said would risk their livelihoods.

Society president Jassim Al Jeran also claimed the country's shrimp industry would crumble as a result of the new six-month ban.

“There are 400 shrimping licences, which bring in between 30 and 40 tonnes of shrimp every day,” he told the GDN.

“You absolutely can't switch all of those over to fishing because there are already too many regular fishing licences and the fish stocks can't handle more.

“The six-month ban is not feasible, we have to stick to the four-month ban.

“The crab ban, which used to be two months, has also been extended to three months.

“Bahrain's seafood industry will crumble if we're banned from fishing in this way - we won't be able to last.

“The government doesn't give us monetary support, and the only way this ban can work is if the government decides to support every single fisherman.”

He added that the society requested to meet Minister Essam Khalaf, but no-one responded.

The ministry's Agriculture and Marine Resources Under-Secretary Shaikh Khalifa bin Isa Al Khalifa has been pushing to implement the six-month ban, which aims to allow shrimp stocks to replenish as it coincides with the mating season.

However, senior society member Khalil Mohammed Ali said fishermen would have to start laying off staff because they would not be able to pay them.

“Each of us has at least 12 employees. We have fees and salaries to pay and we can't do that if we don't have any catch,” he said.

“We also won't be able to do anything if the worker leaves and we will continue to have to pay for them.

“We can't have them sit around for six months in a year doing nothing.

“In other GCC countries, the fishermen are provided with monetary support from the government.

“In Saudi Arabia, there are no two separate licences for fishing and for shrimping - it is one.

“So if they have a six-month ban it doesn't matter as much because they'll just go fishing instead.

“But for us, it puts us out of work.

“On top of that, it will happen during Ramadan and the start of school - we can't support our families or our employees this way.

“The four-month ban itself used to be hard on us, and the six-month ban is a killer.

“Even if we want to leave the business altogether or pass it onto our sons - we are no longer allowed to sell our licence or our banoosh (dhows).

“They cost between BD40,000 ($105,402) and BD50,000.”

Ministry officials did not comment when contacted by the GDN yesterday. - TradeArabia News Service