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UAE lifts fishing, trade ban on sharks, Sheri, Safi fish

Dubai - The ban was supposed to continue until June this year.

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The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has decided to lift fishing and trade ban on sharks, from Sunday, April 5, for the remainder of the ban period that extends to June 30. The Ministry took to Twitter to make the announcement on Friday, April 3.

The ban on the fishing and trade of Arabian Safi, Rabbitfish, and sheri, or Emperor fish, has also been lifted starting April 5.

#MoCCaE to lift fishing and trade ban on #sharks from Sunday, April 5, 2020, for the remainder of the ban period that extends to June 30 pic.twitter.com/tg5Hu1KgAQ
- MoCCAE (@MoCCaEUAE) April 3, 2020

On April 2, MoCCaE also announced that it has suspended the Ministerial Decision No 501 of 2015 that regulates the fishing and trade of Arabian safi and sheri for the remainder of the ban period, and consequently lift the annual fishing and trade ban on these species as of April 5.

#MoCCaE announces suspension of Ministerial Decision No. 501 of 2015 that regulates the fishing & trade of Arabian safi & sheri for the remainder of the ban period, & consequently lift the annual #fishing and trade ban on these species as of April 5, 2020 pic.twitter.com/P5el8XeVRB
- MoCCAE (@MoCCaEUAE) April 2, 2020

When did the ban come into effect?
The annual fishing and trade ban on sharks, sheri, and safi fish had come into effect on March 1, coinciding with the spawning season of these species.

The ban was supposed to continue until June this year. This resolution allowed fishermen to fish sharks from July 1 of each year, until the last day of February of the following year.

On February 27, the Ministerial Decision No 501 of 2015 that regulates the fishing and trade of Arabian safi and sheri prohibits the fishing of the two species and any trade in their local and imported byproducts in the UAE markets until April 30.

It also banned their import and re-export in any form, whether fresh, frozen, salted, smoked, or packed, during this time.