(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Marine inspectors are conducting rigorous checks at Al Khor fishing jetty to ensure that fishermen are not using nets to catch kingfish after Qatar, with fellow GCC states, banned its fishing from August 15 to October 15.
GCC countries had decided in June 2012 to ban the fishing of kingfish, known locally as 'kann'aad', in the Gulf waters from August 15 to October 15 every year starting from 2015.
This is the mating season for kingfish, which is also known as king mackerel. So the idea behind the ban is to preserve the stocks of kingfish and let its numbers grow.
Kingfish are large and can be of weights varying from five to 40 kg and even more. They are a migratory species and are part of popular cuisine in the GCC region.
In Qatar, they comprise some 13 percent of total fish catch in a year on average and some 180 fishing boats - which is 35 percent of the total number of fishing boats in the country - are dedicated only to catching kingfish. That reflects the demand for the fish. Because of the current ban which has led to severe shortages, kingfish has become highly expensive in the local market.
On Sunday, for example, the fish was being retailed for up to QR95 a kg, while its rate usually averages between QR30 and QR40 a kg. Sometimes it is even cheaper.
Qatar's Coast Guard is providing all possible help to the marine inspectors from the Ministry of Environment in conducting the checks.
The ministry has urged fishermen not to catch the fish using the net from August 15 to October 15 as this is their breeding time.
The rest of the year also, fishermen are asked to catch the kingfish using nets with bigger holes which would ensure that only big-size kingfish would be caught and the smaller ones would have an opportunity to grow.
Data collected over the past 20 years suggest that the size of the kingfish in the Gulf waters has actually improved.
If fishing of the species is permitted between August and October, usually 18 to 27 percent of total catch in the Qatari waters can comprise kingfish.
The fishing season in Qatar for this fish is between the beginning of October and May-end.
A ban on the fishing of kingfish using nets with smaller holes is the most effective way to boost its stocks in the Qatar waters.
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