(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Fisheries sector of the country dominated Tuesday's Federal National Council (FNC) session that was punctuated by heated debates, with members criticising the Ministry of Environment and Water for doing little to attract Emiratis to the sector. The sector, FNC members said, is dominated by expatriates.
The session, which was chaired by Speaker Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, was attended by Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahd, Minister of Environment and Water, senior ministry officials and representatives of different fishermen's associations from across the country.
In a motion titled 'Protecting citizens working in fishing and agriculture profession', members said: "... The fact (is) that my career in fishing and agriculture is inherited. These two professions were of our great grandfathers ...
"Now these two professions are dominated by expatriates and we have representation. It is no more our inherited tradition and source of our economy. Citizens are suffering to maintain these professions because of many challenges and no support from the government. The ministry has to come up with a new policy that attracts, protects and benefits nationals and (helps them) get back to their inherited profession."
In response to the questions raised by nine members - Sultan Rashid Al Dhahiri, Ahmed Abdullah Al A'amash, Ali Issa Al Nuaimi, Marwan Ahmed bin Ghulaitha, Mohammed Saeed Al Raqabani, Ghareeb Ahmed Al Sareidi, Afra Rashid Al Basti and Abdul Rahim Abdul Latif Al Shaheen - Dr Rashid said his ministry is making every effort to make sure Emiratis affiliated with the fishing sector benefit and help boost the economy of the country.
"The ministry is making all ... efforts to increase the UAE citizens' stake in the fishing sector with its strategic planning to revive the traditional fishing and agriculture professions. This can only be achieved with the full and dedicated participation of the nationals affiliated with the two sectors. We have also realised (that) many nationals shy away from these professions and rather recruit expats to do their jobs," the minister said.
After lengthy debates, the council also reviewed an in-house committee report on fishing and made its recommendations to the ministry to help revive the traditional profession.
"The committee emphasises the importance of the strategy and policy of resettlement to raise the rate of participation of nationals to secure the career prospects in fisheries and other labour markets. However, the committee sees the absence of actual indicators motivating and encouraging to settle 'My Career Fishing and Agriculture' in spite of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan's initiatives to help ... (boost) ... both fishing and agriculture sectors with greater participation of citizens."
The committee considered that the absence of indicators and resettlement in the two sectors is not consistent with the vision of the UAE in 2021 aimed to raise tenfold resettlement rates on what it is now in the private sector.
"After examining the operational plan of the ministry in years (2011-2013) and general (2014-2016), it shows lack of specific action policies or programmes or projects working on the implementation of resettlement in the state's strategy or vision of the future. The fishing sector controlled by foreigners is now over 71 per cent," the panel report said.
In addition to domination of the fishing sector by expatriates, the committee also maintained that most of the foreign fishermen are not familiar with the local environment and fishing seasons. "They are exploiting our sea species, and because of over (fishing) and careless techniques, many species are disappearing from our seas."
The majority of the house agreed that the ministry now needs to come up with a policy that helps end expat domination over the two sectors - the traditional lifeline of the country.
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