Local fishermen to receive Dhs.4 million subsidy

BY PMA RASHEEED

6 May 2010, The Gulf Today

All the local fishermen in the UAE will be beneficiaries of subsidies worth around Dhs4 million in an initiative to boost the fishing industry in the country, announced the Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) on Thursday.

The project subsidy for about 581 local fishermen in poor conditions across the seven emirates will give out fuel allowances valued at Dhs500 to Dhs800 to, said the Minister of Environment and Water Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad.

“The MOEW has already started issuing the registration cards to the fishermen to enable their eligibility to claim their monthly allowance, as part of strategies of emiratisation of fishing, safeguarding the country’s marine food sources in an organised and sustainable mode of fishing activities,” he said.

The minister said that a sum of Dhs3.872.400 was assigned to the establishment of a project for supporting fuel. Over 6,000 local fishermen have been involved in the industry across the country, while the UAE’s total number of fishermen reaches at around 22,000 people.

 “The cards are allocated to those with limited incomes and who are totally devoted to fishing, and work on his boat on his own. Besides, the person should be a member of the fishermen association and markets harvesting in the UAE markets,” pointed out Dr Fahad.