The post-Gulf-War shrimp fishery management in the territorial waters of Kuwait

EnvironmentInternational,Vol. 24, No. I/2, pp. 10%108,199s Copyright01998 Elsevier Science Ltd Printedin the USA. All rights resewed 0160-4120/98 s19.00+.00

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PI1 SO160-4120(97)00126-S

THE POST-GULF-WAR SHRIMP FISHERY MANAGEMENT IN THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF KUWAIT M.S. Siddiqui and Khalid A. Al-Mubarak Department of Fisheries, Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, Safat 13075, Kuwait

EI 9612-260 M (Received 12 December 1996; accepted 24 August 1997)

Kuwait has been self-sufficient to fulfill its requirement of shrimp consumption. Thirteen species of penaeid shrimp are known to occur in Kuwait waters. Two of the species, namely Penaeus semisulcatus and Metapenaeus afinis, are being caught in bulk. Approximately 3 Gg of shrimp have been caught annually by artisanal as well as industrial fishing units as 24 dhow boats and 35 steel vessels are licensed for shrimp trawling, respectively. The post-Gulf-War shrimp fishing liberalization lead to an over-exploitation of the fishery, resulting in a significant decline in the catch per unit effort from 447 kg/d-boat in 1993 to 187 kg/d-boat in 1994. However, there is a distinct improvement in the annual shrimp production as a result of renewed strategic control over catch per unit effort as well as strict implementation of a closed season between March and August. Causes for variation in the annual shrimp production are discussed. There has been an increased vigilance of patrolling boats to monitor implementation of fishing laws and regulations. The post-Gulf-War’s effective surveillance enables the safeguarding of territorial fishery re-

sources against unauthorized fishing. The shrimp fishery management measures were evaluated. 01998 Elsevier Science Ltd

INTRODUCTION Kuwait, having about 2 million population and an approximate 746 km2 territorial waters, has great potential for harvesting penaeid shrimp. The shrimp fishery, while contributing towards the food security of Kuwait, has been fished by artisanal as well as industrial fishing units. Although 13 species of shrimp are known to occur in Kuwait waters, only 4 of the species, namely Penaeus semisulcatus (De Haan 1844), Metapenaeus afinis (H. Milne Edwards 1837), Parapenaeopsis stylifera (H. Milne Edwards 1837), and Metapenaeus stebbingi (Nobili 1904), are commercially important. The former two species are abundant. The shrimp fishery has an unforgettable 50-year history of sustaining multiple strains and stresses. There was a time in the early seventies when the fishery suffered from over-exploitation, resulting in a drastic decline in

catches and subsequent suspension of shrimp fishing operations in the year 1977. The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research has been instrumental in undertaking the Shrimp Fishery Management Project in collaboration with the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, Kuwait, which succeeded in reversing the catch trend and showed a production level of over 5 Gg in the year 1989. The 1990 Gulf War witnessed large scale destruction of the fishing infrastructure along with mass mortality of marine lives as a result of an estimated 1 Mm3 of spilled oil. The post-Gulf-War reconstruction of the infrastructure as well as strategic management measures lead to the recovery and revival of shrimp resources. The present paper deals with management measures of the fishery in Kuwait. 105

106

M.S. Siddiqui and K.A. Al-Mubarak

ARTISANAL

AND INDUSTRIAL

FISHING

UNITS

The artisanal shrimp fishing fleet consists of 24 dhow boats licensed for shrimp trawling. Generally dhow boat shrimp catch is being sold in the local market. Three share-holding fishery companies own 35 industrial fishing units. These companies, namely the United Fisheries of Kuwait (UFK), the National Fishing Company (NFC), and the Bubiyan Fisheries Company (BFC), have been licensed to operate trawlers to catch shrimp for export as well as for local consumption. The fishery companies have permitted the export of 35% of the fishery. A control over the number of licensed fishing boats has been revived during the current season especially after the unrestricted freedom granted a large number of gargoor boats for shrimp trawling during the 1994-95 season. The post-Gulf-War reconstruction included an introduction of new steel trawlers which are better powered than the older fleet. The present fleet are generally powered with engines between 320 BHP and 540 BHP having a gross tonnage capacity of 13 1 Mg. AbdulGhaffar and Al-Ghunaim (1994) revealed that the new vessels of the UFK and the BFC had better catches than the older boats in the 1993-94 season. CLOSED

SEASON

A closed season management policy has been under operation since March 1980. An approximate closed season period lasted for 3 to 5 months during all these years, but post-Gulf-War management policy attached greater importance on the conservation of shrimp resources. Therefore, an exact date for the closed season was determined by an intensive pre-season shrimp survey undertaken by the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research. These surveys eventually lead to establishing an index as a measure of recruitment for the forthcoming season. Catch rates were also used to obtain an independent measure of population strength as fishing progressed (Abdul-Ghaffar and Al-Ghunaim 1994). The post-Gulf-War closed season lasted for 5 to 6 months between March and August. ANNUAL

SHRIMP

CATCH AND CATCH EFFORT

Penaeid shrimp have always been of great interest to the Gulf Council Co-operation States in general and to Kuwait in particular as a valuable export commodity and an important commercial fishery. Recently serious concerns have been expressed that the effects of the Gulf War on the environment may have damaged the

Table 1. Catch and effort of Kuwait shrimp fishery. Years

Catch (Mg)

Effort (days)

1986

1664

15 050

110

1987

2443

15 070

162

1988

4999

15 450

323

1989

2985

8670

361

1990

1891

5050

374

1991

676

2020

327

1992

3619

9270

390

1993

2840

8910

319

1994

2093

11700

179

1995

1739

6300

276

C/E (kg/d-boat)

shrimp fishery. Table 1 shows that there has been marked annual fluctuation in shrimp catches during recent years as a result of political conflict in the Gulf region. The oil spill during the Gulf War resulted in a marine ecological disaster and economic catastrophe to the large number of fishermen. Over-fishing is also a world-wide phenomenon which is partially responsible for the depletion of shrimp stocks in Kuwait. Mathews and Burgess (1985), while studying an optimum level of shrimp fishing, concluded that the shrimp fishing effort should not exceed 6500 standard fishing days. AlRashoud et al. (1995) found that the post-Gulf-War situation led to an over-exploitation of shrimp fishery as a result of fishing liberalization exceeding 10 000 standard fishing days. It was found that an increase in the number of boats for shrimp trawling from 60 to 135 could catch only 1740 Mg of shrimp in the 1994-95 season (Al-Rashoud et al. 1995). Considering the disastrous effects of over-fishing, the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources had no option but to restrict the number of trawlers for shrimp fishing during the current season. Earlier, Morgan (1985) suggested the possibility that observed changes in the Gulf shrimp stock size may have been a result of external factors not related to fishing, such as land reclamation of the former shrimp nursery areas, the reduced rate of water flow from the Shatt Al-Arab waterway, and environmental degradation of coastal and marine areas. Mathews et al. (1994) found that the productivity of Saudi Arabian prawn and Bahraini shrimp stock were reduced to the lowest level because of longterm damage to the stock by war-related pollution.

Shrimpfishery

107

management in Kuwait

q

1995-96

8

1994-95

CJ 1993-94

q

1992-93

n

1991-92

EBf1989-90 E8 1988-89

Fig. 1. Monthly shrimp landings in Kuwait for various years. Updated from Al-Rashoud

SEASONAL

CATCH

Figure 1 shows that there has been a uniform seasonal catch pattern in different years. The onset of shrimp fishing in September reveals a higher catch rate, and the catch rate declines as fishing progresses in the subsequent months. A decline in the rate of catch is natural because of a depletion of shrimp stock as a result of fishing. STRATEGIC MEASURES

ISSUES AND MANAGEMENT

It is known that the shrimp fishery in the Gulf is exposed to long-term oil-related pollution as well as the impact of human activities on the coastal environment. Although great efforts have been made by scientists all over the world to contain deleterious effects of oil pollution on marine organisms, little success has been achieved in this direction. Prevention is certainly a better strategy than cure. Mohammad et al. ( 1994) drew attention to greater likely threats as a result of dam construction on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Turkey, the draining of marshes in Iraq, the power station construction at Ras Subbiyah, a proposed causeway linking Ras Subbiyah to Failaka Island, and reclamation schemes to build water-front cities in AlKhiran and Sulaibikhat Bay, which may have a longterm negative impact on the fishery in Kuwait. There has been an increase in the reported cases of fishing law violations viz. closed season violation, unlicensed fishing, fishing in prohibited coastal zones,

et al. (1994).

and territorial fishing violations by foreign vessels in recent years. Therefore, the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources has strengthened the surveillance division of the Department of Fisheries. The number of surveillance boats and man-power have been increased to prevent illegal fishing in Kuwait. The newly-completed Ashirage Port in the north of Doha is equipped with security fences and surveillance guards to inspect each vessel that enters or exits the port as a part of management measures. There is another surveillance station in the south of Khiran, which is responsible for effective patrolling against illegal fishing. An additional four patrolling boats have been ordered to be purchased to be included in the existing surveillance fleet of seven boats to monitor fishery management measures. Harsher penalties and/or punishment are being recommended to those who are found to be violators of fishing regulations. Increased surveillance of coast guards beyond 6 km off-shore fishing zones has been a great help in preventing illegal fishing by foreign vessels. The postGulf-War effective surveillance, renewed strategic control over catch per unit effort, and six-month closed season will safeguard the sustainable shrimp fishery resources in the territorial waters of Kuwait. Acknowledgment-We are thankful to Mr. M.A. Mohsen Al-Rifai, Chairman and Director General of the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, and Dr. Sultan Al-Khalaf, Deputy Director General for Animal Resources, Kuwait, for providing research facilities. We are grateful to the Ministry of Planning, Kuwait, for providing shrimp catch data. Statistical analysis of the catch data by Mr. K.T. Mittu is gratefully acknowledged.

108

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MS. Siddiqui and K.A. Al-Mubarak

Scientific Research and Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources; 1985. Available from: Mariculture and Fisheries Department, Salmiya 22017, Kuwait. Mathews, C.P.; Kedidi, S.; Al-Qaseer, J.; Al-Qadir, I.; Radhi, A.K.H.; Fita, N.I.; Al-Yahya, A. Penaeus semisulcatus stocks of the western gulf: Effects of schooling and environmental variation on interstock modelling and management of Kuwaiti, Saudi Arabian and Bahraini stocks. Papers presented at the technical consultation on shrimp management in the Arabian Gulf, held at Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, 6-8 November 1994. Available from: Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Water, Riyadh 11195, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mohammad, H.M.A.; Xu, X.; Bishop, J.M. Catch rates, species composition and size frequency distributions of Kuwait’s shrimp landings by dhow boats prior to and following Gulf War. Papers presented at the technical consultation on shrimp management in the Arabian Gulf, held at Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, 6-8 November 1994. Available from: Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Water, Riyadh 11195, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Morgan, G.R. Status of the shrimp and fish resources of the Gulf. FAO Fisheries Circular 792, (FIRM/C 792); 1985: 49. Available from: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.