Last Thursday, Resolution No. (4) of 2025 entered into force, and I mean the decision to organize the Bahraini fisherman license to practice commercial marine fishing, according to what the Supreme Council for the Environment announced.
I remember last March the assertion of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the personal representative of His Majesty the King, and the President of the Supreme Council for the Environment that the decision “comes as a continuation of the modernization and development of the legislative system in a way that is to protect marine resources and enhance their sustainability for future generations”, stressing His Highness that “preserving the marine environment is a shared responsibility, depends on the commitment of fishermen to these measures to ensure the protection of fish wealth and the supply of security National Food. ”
This important decision is supposed to put the Bahraini fisherman at the heart of national efforts, in parallel, confirming that the state is continuing to enhance the sustainability of marine wealth and support food security for the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The decision specified clear conditions, including that the hunter be a Bahraini nationality, whose age is not less than 18 years old, and that his validity to practice the profession is proven, in addition to organizing the license period to be a renewable year. The decision also seized the number of crew members on ships according to their lengths, in a move that reflects the concerns of the concerned authorities to balance resources and ensure the rights of workers in this vital sector.
Also, there is a set of basic controls that were clearly identified, the most important of which is the requirement of the Bahraini fisherman to practice commercial fishing to reduce subcontractors violations and wrong practices for foreign fishermen. Also organizing the numbers of support workers on the back of the ship according to its length, and determining accurate controls for the use of nets and “pigs and prohibitions” in a way that preserves the fish stock.
The decision is supposed to open the way for the development of a more sustainable marine environment. Will it be the beginning of a new stage in which these practices decrease, with the follow -up and control mechanisms it carries?!
Also, organizing the number of workers supporting the ships reflects a clear desire to enhance the presence of the Bahraini fisherman and reduce unfair competition, which may give the people of the homeland a broader space to be able to practice their profession in better conditions. Do we witness through this a gradual reduction in the problems that have always exhausted the fishermen?!
The decision represents a step in the right direction, but it needs to continue to follow up and activate the implementation mechanisms in a manner that ensures the achievement of the desired goals. Whenever the state’s efforts are combined with the commitment of the fishermen, the sea will be more sustainable, and the profession is safer.
We hope that these decisions are always in the interest of the Bahraini fisherman, because it is the citizen, and the citizen is the basis for everything.
