Three-hundred artificial caves have been installed across 30 sites to enhance fish stocks in the UAE.
The caves, which are made of eco-friendly materials, stretch from Al Baiya Island in Fujairah to Loulouiya Harbour in Sharjah.
The project is part of a joint initiative between the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Fish Farm LLC.
Salah Al Rayssi, director of the fisheries sustainability department at the MOCCAE, said the Ministry’s collaboration with Fish Farm is a prime example of a productive public-private partnership.
Fatima Al Hantoubi, head of environmental protection and natural reserves at Dibba Al Fujairah Municipality, said the Municipality partnered with the MOCCAE in installing the artificial caves to develop living aquatic resources along the eastern coast of the UAE.
She said: “Through such initiatives, we seek to build artificial habitats that provide a safe environment for the breeding of fish and other marine species.
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“We helped the Ministry identify the most suitable locations for the caves along the eastern coast and are overseeing the positioning of the caves to ensure optimal results.”
To date, the Ministry has installed 1,000 out of a planned 1,300 artificial caves at various fishing sites across the UAE, as part of the Artificial Caves Program launched by the MOCCAE in 2016. The installation will continue as per the schedule until the end of 2018.
The caves follow similar projects in Dubai and Ajman.
