Fish dying: KISR

27/04/2017

This news has been read 11147 times!

The Environment Affairs Department of Kuwait Municipality, in collaboration with the Hygiene and Road Usage Department at Hawally and Capital municipalities, recently embarked on a a beach-cleaning campaign for students of both genders at Anjefah and Al-Salam beaches. The campaigners removed 55 bags of litters, plastic materials and dead fish.

KUWAIT CITY, April 26: While Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR) issued a warning concerning the sharp deterioration of fish stock in the Kuwaiti regional waters and gradual extinction of some types of fish, the wave of dead fish on Kuwaiti coasts continued on Wednesday, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

The concerned authorities have been playing the blame game in this regard, with each distancing itself from taking responsibility for the pollution in the regional waters. The Environment Public Authority (EPA) blames Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Electricity and Water, Ministry of Interior, Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR), and fishermen for the pollution of regional waters especially Kuwaiti Bay.

EPA explained that the survey conducted by its monitoring and regulatory teams on all coasts of the country particularly the Kuwaiti Bay in the past few days identified illegal influx of violations on the marine environment.

This is an extension of earlier records that showed violations causing pollution which has been negatively affecting the quality and different components of the marine environment. The findings of the survey clearly showed pollutants emanating from drainage systems which are under the authority and supervision of Ministry of Public Works. It also noted increased rate of pollutants from the distillation plants affiliated to Ministry of Electricity and Water. Increased fishing activities in the Kuwaiti Bay was also observed; this represents non-compliance with the law related to fishing activities issued by PAAAFR and Ministry of Interior which have been failing in controlling the activities of fishermen.

Meanwhile, reports and statistics show a sharp drop in the number of popular fish such as Zubaidi by 95 percent. While the annual production of Zubaidi was 1,100 tons in 1995, it has dropped to 120 tons in 2014. The same can be said for Sabour, which has dropped by the same margin from about 1000 tones in 1995 to just 150 tons in 2014.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud Al-Seyassah Staff and Agencies

This news has been read 11147 times!

27/04/2017