Boats seized for violating fishing laws in Saudi territorial waters

RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has seized several boats for violating fishing regulations in Saudi territorial waters.
Represented by the Jeddah Fisheries sector, inspector teams from the ministry caught several fishermen near the port of Jeddah using prohibited nylon nets of two types: monofilaments and multi-filaments nets.
The fishermen were also using Qra’qeer or old fishing nets traditionally used in Saudi Arabia whose usage is also prohibited.
Khalid Al-Shaya, director of the fisheries department at the ministry, said such nets were prohibited to protect the marine life in Saudi territorial waters, as they have a negative impact on the fish reserves, marine creatures and the coral reef environment.
The ministry prohibits seven types of fishing nets: Nylon monofilaments nets, Nylon multi-filaments nets, the Three Layer net, nets with mesh less than 2 inches, Gill net with mesh size less than 3.75 inch, and a length more than 2400 m.
As well as trawling net for shrimps with mesh size less than 1.5 inches, and finally trawling nets for fish.