Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The UAE’s fish farming sector, with its promising prospects in boosting food production and economic returns, has become one of the solid pillars of strengthening food security and promoting investment expansion that preserves the sustainability of marine resources.
The UAE has focused on investing in the fish farming sector, benefiting from the latest global technological advancements that overcome challenges, increase production, and achieve local food self-sufficiency.
In recent years, the fish farming sector has seen notable development and has attracted investors, supported by government’s encouragement.
As of last year, the number of farms registered at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment reached about 15. Abu Dhabi has the largest number of fish farms, standing at six, followed by Fujairah with four, Ras Al Khaimah with three, and one farm each in Dubai and Sharjah.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said that the UAE is qualified to transform into a regional centre for fish farming due to its reliance on scientific research outcomes and adoption of modern technology in enhancing stock and increasing fish production.
The UAE’s efforts to enhance the fish farming sector align with the desired goals of the Impact Axis within the recently launched National Sustainability Campaign, in conjunction with the upcoming hosting of the COP28 conference. The conference is scheduled to be held from November 30 to December 12 this year at Expo City Dubai.
The campaign reinforces sustainability in all sectors, especially in sustaining food security. It will showcase the positive results and the impact of Emirati sustainability initiatives in various fields. Additionally the campaign aims to spread positive environmental behaviours, raise awareness of environmental sustainability issues, and encourage community participation.
Early Interest
Interest in aquaculture in the UAE began about 40 years ago, specifically in 1984 with the establishment of the Marine Biology Research Centre, harnessing the best global expertise in aquaculture. The centre conducted numerous studies and experiments on producing local fish species to find the right methods to increase these species, thus enhancing the fish stock, food security, and sustainable development of the marine environment. Since then, the fish farming sector has witnessed rapid growth and has gained the attention of the state.
The UAE enhanced its efforts by establishing the Sheikh Khalifa Marine Research Centre in 2014, equipped with the latest systems and technologies. The centre has played a pioneering role in developing and encouraging aquaculture technology in the country, with an annual production capacity of 30 million fish fingerlings.
Meeting Local Demand
The UAE, through supporting fish farming projects, aims to increase the sector’s contribution to meeting the local demand for fish, as the population grows and the country imports about 70% of its fish needs annually.
The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development recently announced two new projects in the UAE: the first for salmon farming with a capacity of 10 tonnes in tanks, and the second for sea bream and dentex farming with a capacity of 10 tonnes in floating cages. The UAE has several hatcheries that produce fish fingerlings of various species to support fish farming, including the hatchery of the Sheikh Khalifa Marine Research Centre and the research centre on Abu Al Abyad Island.
Initiatives
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE)is preparing national programmes to improve the efficiency of registered aquaculture farms. It also aims to attract investment in this field through technical guidance to enhance capabilities and research that has identified certain species suitable for farming according to the country’s environmental and climatic conditions.
The ministry has provided a package of smart and electronic services for licensing aquaculture farms, importing aquaculture feed, importing broodstock and fish larvae, exporting local fish, and quarantine release to enhance the continuity and flexibility of service provision with a short time frame for obtaining certificates for these services.
The Supreme Committee for the Protection, Exploitation, and Development of Living Marine Resources has identified six initiatives in the aquaculture sector in the country, which the MoCCAE is working on in cooperation and coordination with relevant entities at the state level. These include an initiative to assess aquaculture systems at marine sites to develop marine farming to support expansion and sustainability in the aquaculture sector, an initiative to study consumer patterns and choices, and a biosecurity guide initiative at the farm level to reduce the risks and threats of biosecurity to the continuity of aquaculture operations.
The initiatives also include a project to enhance the competitiveness of the closed aquaculture system, and an initiative to establish a database for seafood consumption.
Additionally, there is the “Fish Farming Pulse Guide” initiative launched by the UAE government in 2020, which serves as a reference for those interested in aquaculture and fish hatcheries in all the emirates of the country. It aims to support the country’s efforts to enhance this vital sector by assessing available investment opportunities in the sector, providing a study of consumption patterns in the local and global markets, production specifications in terms of quality and size, and providing ways for the success of aquaculture farmers in various emirates.
Fish hatcheries are one of the pillars of the guide, highlighting the availability of many hatcheries dedicated to producing fish fingerlings of various types in fish farms and specialised large hatcheries that produce about 35 million fingerlings, with the Sheikh Khalifa Marine Research Centre in Umm Al Quwain being a prime example.
Aquaculture systems vary between closed systems, open systems, and the use of aquaponics, which supports the production of aquatic life with vegetable production. The closed system represents 50% of the systems used for aquaculture in the country, relying on indoor tanks. It is characterised by high density per production unit. In closed tanks, water specifications are controlled and recycled, and technologies and high-quality fish feeds are used.
The UAE’s efforts in fish farming have received international acclaim and recognition from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which highlighted in a report the ambitious projects in the country for fish farming in barren desert lands. The projects reflect the success of the UAE in harnessing modern technology to establish sustainable fish and aquatic production, enhancing its food security.
