‘Harsh blow’ as five dugongs wash up on Saadiyat beach
▶ Vulnerable mammals were probably entangled in illegal drift fishing nets
Five dugongs, including an animal pregnant with a fully developed calf, have recently washed up on Saadiyat beach in what may be the biggest single fatality of one of Abu Dhabi’s most vulnerable species.
The dugongs probably died by drowning after becoming tangled in illegal drift fishing nets known as hiyali, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi said.
The agency has sent a team of experts to investigate the deaths and increase monitoring in critical areas.
“This discovery is a harsh blow to one of Abu Dhabi’s most vulnerable species and it may be the biggest single die-off of dugongs recorded in a decade,” said Dr Shaikha Al Dhaheri, the agency’s executive director of terrestrial and marine biodiversity.
“It again affirms the vulnerability of these species to human threats and the pressing need for fishermen to end irresponsible fishing practices.”
Abu Dhabi is home to the world’s second-largest population of dugongs, with about 3,000 found mostly in the waters around Bu Tinah Island, part of the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve.
Dugongs, their foraging habitats and their migratory routes have been protected under federal law since 1999. The UAE is also a signatory to the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species making it an international commitment to protect dugongs.
The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi’s research “has demonstrated that the majority of commercial and recreational fishermen are fully aware of the laws prohibiting the use of illegal nets and the protected status of dugongs in the UAE”, Dr Al Dhaheri said.
“However, in spite of the regulations in place and the awareness being raised, many
The most common cause of dugong deaths was suffocation from entanglement in illegal or abandoned fishing nets
fishermen continue to use hiyali nets, because it is a particularly lucrative method of fishing.”
Commercial and recreational fishermen caught using illegal and banned fishing gear and methods face fines of up to Dh50,000, imprisonment for no less than three months, or both.
Second-time offenders can receive fines of up to Dh100,000, a minimum of one year in jail, or both.
“We will continue to prioritise the protection of dugong habitats and we will carry on ensuring that Abu Dhabi’s waters are managed in a way that protects all marine species, in partnership with the Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority,” Dr Al Dhaheri said.
“However, as the late Sheikh Zayed, Founder of the UAE, stressed, environmental protection is not a matter only for government officials. It is an issue that should concern us all. And so we call on all fishermen to fish in a responsible way.
“In order to minimise mortality of dugongs during the winter season, we have already intensified our monitoring of critical areas within and outside marine protected areas, and we have continued to meet regularly with fishermen calling on them not to use the illegal hiyali net, not to leave fishing nets unattended and to report the locations of any abandoned fishing nets” to the agency.
The agency has investigated 153 dugong deaths since 1999, when it began to monitor the local population.
The most common cause of death was suffocation from entanglement in illegal or abandoned fishing nets.
Other causes of death include habitat loss, marine pollution and being hit by speeding boats. Most of the deaths were reported during the winter season, which coincides with an increase in fishing activity.