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‘Review Shrimp Trawling Ban' : Expert urges Gulf nations to reexamine restrictions based on ‘questionable' data evidence

Flawed data used to justify the Gulf shrimp trawling ban should be urgently reassessed, according to fisheries consultant Dr. Ibrahim Abdulqader. Speaking at Bahrain's Professional Fishermen Society yesterday, Abdulqader argued that evidence against shrimp trawling—used to support prohibitions introduced by Bahrain in 2018 and Kuwait four years later—failed to match up with reality. The fishing consultant presented decades-worth of figures from Bahraini and Saudi waters, challenging the often-cited claim that shrimp nets led to a 90 per cent drop in local fish stocks. Rather, his evidence suggested far smaller impacts, with only minor numbers of commercially valuable fish ending up as unintended catch. Shrimp fishing in the Gulf took off in 1959 with Kuwaiti vessels, and the Bahraini fleet joined the boom in 1967. Profits Catches surged, generating profits from markets in the United States and Japan, sparking factory openings along the coast. Yet unregulated fishing throughout the year gradually reduced yields, causing the collapse of industrial-scale shrimp fishing by the late 1970s. Nevertheless, trawling carried on through smaller local vessels, maintaining productivity over the following decades. Abdulqader cited recent field studies from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia showing minimal disruption to targeted fish species. Only one commercially valuable fish, the Imsalagh, accounted for less than one per cent of Bahrain's shrimp-related bycatch. Species In Saudi waters, three species— Imsalagh, Safi, and Shaari —made up around 20 per cent. Far from a catastrophic ecological impact, these numbers indicated a much more limited influence on marine life. Historical catch records backed up Abdulqader's claims. Rather than sustained declines in key species, catches of Badh, Safi, and Shaari fluctuated over the years, suggesting they were influenced primarily by direct fishing practices rather than accidental catches by shrimp trawlers. Harm Even crab catches, which rose after shrimp fishing became common, showed little sign of harm linked to shrimp nets. Abdulqader also pointed out unintended consequences of the shrimp ban. Fishermen have reported no noticeable recovery in fish stocks since restrictions came into force. Instead, illegal fishing has reportedly increased, driven partly by official shrimp seasons, which remain publicised despite gear restrictions. Benefits This contradiction fuels underground fishing and undermines the ban's intended environmental benefits. He recommended lifting the current restrictions to allow for a controlled and modern shrimp fishing industry under improved environmental guidelines. Alternatively, Abdulqader suggested that authorities abandon public shrimp-season announcements altogether and strengthen enforcement against unlawful trawling.