UAE Oil Spill: No Shortage Of Fish In UAQ Market Despite Temporary Fishing Halt

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Fish supplies remain available at Umm Al Quwain Fish Market despite a temporary halt in local fishing after an oil spill affected coastal areas, vendors told Khaleej Times.

Vendors at the market said fresh stock was arriving every day from Oman, with nearly all common varieties available. They said local fishing had stopped because fishermen were not allowed to go to sea during the restrictions.

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“There is no shortage of fish and customers can find almost all varieties,” one vendor said. Supplies from Oman were helping traders meet demand while local fishing was paused.

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Customers began calling the market after reports that fishing had stopped for several days due to the oil spill, the fish seller said. "Some were concerned that fish supplies would run out or that the available stock could be affected by the pollution".

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) temporarily closed beaches and coastal areas in Umm Al Quwain after an oil spill from a tanker affected the emirate's shoreline. Fishermen and other sea users were asked to avoid affected areas while containment, clean-up and environmental assessments continue.

The traders had made arrangements to bring in fish from Oman, and the market was receiving supplies daily. "Prices may differ depending on the type of fish and the quantity available," one vendor said.

Another seller said that the local fish was not currently available because fishermen had been instructed not to operate in affected waters. "We expect local fishing to resume in the coming days," he said.

MOCCAE had reassured residents that odours reported in Umm Al Quwain, Ajman and Sharjah did not pose a health risk to residents. It has not issued a separate public statement on seafood safety from affected waters.

Jassim Humaid Ghanem, head of the Umm Al Quwain Fishermen's Association, told Emarat Al Youm newspaper earlier that a seven-day fishing halt had caused a slight drop in local fish supplies and pushed up prices for some varieties. "There was no shortage in the market, as fish continued to arrive from other parts of the UAE and from abroad," he said.

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