The shark fishery in the United Arab Emirates: an interview based approach to assess the status of sharks

Abstract

Anecdotal evidence suggests that sharks are being targeted in the United Arab Emirates artisanal fishery. However, little information is available on this fishery and baseline information is essential for understanding its impact on shark populations in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, and for managing sharks in this region. The aim of this study was to investigate the artisanal shark fishery and gain an insight into the social, motivational and economic drivers behind it. Fishery characteristics were examined and the effect of fishing on local shark stocks assessed by interviewing Emirati fishermen across the country (n = 126). Sharks were found to be increasingly targeted owing to their high value in the global fin trade industry. The majority of fishermen (80%) confirmed that changes in species composition, abundance and sizes of sharks have been continuing for more than two decades, mainly because of overfishing, raising concerns about the sustainability of this fishery. Results suggest that sharks are likely to be overexploited and that management measures will need to take into account the precautionary principle. There is an urgent need to formulate long‐term and effective conservation and management plans to prevent further declines in a number of species. Additional efforts should be directed to quantify the ecological implications of the observed changes and determine if these are aggravated by the life‐history traits of the fished species. Such implications should be considered when assessing the sustainability of local fisheries. The data gathered can now serve as a reference to managers, fisheries scientists and other stakeholders to prioritize future research as well as lay foundations for the development and implementation of national management plans for the protection and conservation of sharks. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The trade in sharks and their products in the United Arab Emirates

“…Recent research indicates shark fisheries in the UAE are essentially driven by shark fin export markets (Jabado et al, 2014a) with reports showing exports up to 500 mt of dried raw fins annually to Hong Kong, playing a crucial role in the international shark fin trade as a regional export hub Hareide et al, 2007;WildAid, 2007). However, much of the trade in sharks and their products remains unregulated with little information available regarding species and quantities involved.…”

Is this the last stand of the Critically Endangered green sawfish Pristis zijsron in the Arabian Gulf?

“…Fisheries in the UAE are artisanal and typically multi-species and multi-gear (Grandcourt 2012, Jabado et al 2015a. Fishers operate 2 types of boats: small fiberglass dories ('tarad') and traditional wooden dhows ('lansh') with the primary fishing gear including drift nets, gill nets, hand lines, traps, longlines, and trolls (Grandcourt 2012, Jabado et al 2015a.…”

“…Fishers operate 2 types of boats: small fiberglass dories ('tarad') and traditional wooden dhows ('lansh') with the primary fishing gear including drift nets, gill nets, hand lines, traps, longlines, and trolls (Grandcourt 2012, Jabado et al 2015a. During a comprehensive fishery-dependent study of elasmobranchs in the UAE between 2010 and 2012 (Jabado et al 2015b), only 1 sawfish (green sawfish) specimen was encountered at the Al Jubail landing site in Sharjah (R. Jabado unpubl.…”

“…data). However, informal discussions and interviews with fishers across the country have suggested their continued occurrence in certain areas offshore of Dubai and in coastal Abu Dhabi waters, especially around the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve (Jabado et al 2015a). Furthermore, citizen science reports submitted to the Gulf Elasmo Project between 2011 and 2016 photographically confirmed 5 encounters with green sawfish in Abu Dhabi, Dibba, and Sharjah (www.…”

“…Due to the absence of data on the status, distribution, abundance, and cultural significance of sawfish in the UAE, it is crucial to use the ecological knowledge of Emirati fishers to guide research and conservation. Even though sawfish have been granted complete legal protection in the UAE since 2008 (MOCCAE 2014, Jabado et al 2015a, this is particularly important, since populations of these species require strict conservation actions and a considerable time frame to recover (Dulvy et al 2016).…”