FAO Report Highlights Ambitious Desert Fish Farming Projects Launched By UAE

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 10th Feb, 2021) A recent report issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) highlighted the ambitious projects launched by the UAE in the field of fish farming, noting that such projects reflect the progress in the deployment of advanced technologies to maintain sustainable fishing production and consolidate national food security.

The report stressed that the fisheries sector is being prioritised by the UAE and is a key pillar of its national food security strategy, which includes initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

The UAE has achieved significant progress in adopting innovative and sustainable fish farming technologies, which reduce the pressure on the environment while meeting the growing needs of the population, the report also highlighted.

Several private entities produce 500 to 1,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon, grouper, bass, yellow-tailed kingfish and organic caviar in several facilities across the country, according to the report.

The report noted the cooperation between the FAO and the UAE in fish farming and mentioned a fish farm in Wathba located 40 kilometres from the capital, Abu Dhabi, which employs the latest technologies to monitor water temperature, quality and oxygen levels 24 hours a day, and uses sensors that detect changes that threaten fish.

The FAO’s report also explained that the availability of fresh water in the middle East and North Africa has decreased by two-thirds in the last 40 years and is expected to further decline by 50 percent by 2050. However, scientists have discovered methods of using salty desert water in fish farming.

The UAE is capable of meeting the needs of its community by developing a blue food agricultural system and sharing its knowledge and expertise with new generations in many countries, the report stressed.