A radical proposal to ban shrimp trawling in Bahrain altogether, as well as another to slash the number of fishing licences available, were among recommendations put forward yesterday (March 26) during a crisis meeting between MPs and fishermen.

The practise has been blamed for contributing to lower fish stocks, since many small fish are often scooped up in nets used to haul shrimp to the surface, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

A fisherman who attended yesterday"s Parliament Forum for Fishermen at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa called for an outright ban on shrimp trawling to protect Bahrain's already depleted marine life.

"We have to take care of the sea," he said.

"The sea is being destroyed due to the raking of the seabed by shrimpers. Fishing for prawns is killing off everything else.

"We applaud the six-month shrimping ban and we hope that, in the future, it's banned altogether and relegated to shrimp farming instead."

The comments were made during an emergency forum attended by fishermen, MPs and representatives of the Coast Guard, Environment Friends Society and Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry's Agriculture and Marine Resources Department.

They came together to discuss problems facing the fishing industry after some fishermen complained that a two-month extension to an existing four-month seasonal ban on shrimp trawling was excessive.

Among those taking part was fisherman Hassan Ahmed, who claimed the sector was receiving little support from Tamkeen - the government agency responsible for providing funding and other help to Bahraini enterprises.

"Tamkeen needs to start supporting fishermen again," he said.

"We still pay fees to Tamkeen, which were initially paid back to us through their support, but now we don't get anything at all."

He also criticised the timing of a ban on crab fishing.

"There's no sense in the current crab ban, as crabs lay their eggs at the end of January.

"Under the current ban, fishermen can catch them during the delicate birthing period but not when it's over?

"The timing for the ban needs to be fixed.

"We're also constantly surprised by new laws, reading about them in the papers.
"We should be involved in the process or at least informed ahead of time.

"We also want an increase in support from the Bahrain Development Bank (BDB)."

Another fisherman called on the BDB to increase its loans from BD15,000 ($39,519) to BD20,000.

The majority of fishermen who attended the meeting also highlighted a decree from 2002, which regulates fishing, exploitation and protection of marine resources.

"This law was put into place before parliament and is extremely contradictory," claimed Fishermen's Co-operative Society head Waheed Al Dossary.

"It needs to be fixed. We also need to cut the number of shrimping and fishing licences in half and compensate those who have their licences revoked.

"There are over 1,000 licences and the sea can't sustain it."

However, some called for the new six-month ban on shrimp trawling to be changed back to a four-month ban, despite concerns about the effect that would have on sea life.

Others claimed a ban on exporting fish was supposed to lower prices in the market, but nothing had changed.

"This forum was held by parliament in order to discuss all proposals and requirements by fishermen," parliament chairman Ahmed Al Mulla said.

"Fishing is the profession of our parents and grandparents and one of the most important economic resources in Bahrain.

"We want to understand the challenges they face," Al Mulla pointed out. - TradeArabia News Service