Street vendors openly flouting shrimping ban
Manama : Illegal shrimping is continuing unabated in the Kingdom making a mockery of Bahrain’s laws and regulations in general.
Shrimping, as per an official decree, is banned for a period of six months, from March 15 to September 15, but it’s seldom followed.
The law also promises fines and penalties including imprisonment as well as confiscation of fishing equipment, if found.
However, social media footage surfaced yesterday, showing an Asian street vendor selling fresh shrimps for as low as BD2.5/kilo here in Bahrain, makes it loud and clear that illegal shrimping is continuing in Bahrain without any reduction in its intensity or strength.
The video clip recorded in Arad yesterday and shared by many also sparked a public outcry to identify the perpetrators.
The authorities, however, were quick to respond with a Bahraini lawmaker soon springing into action promising an investigation into the allegations.
MP Ali Al Ateesh said in a statement issued here yesterday that he will form a Parliamentary investigative panel to bring the situation under control.
“We have seen footages of fresh shrimps from Bahrain being sold openly in regional markets flouting ban,” said Al Ateesh.
He also promised that the authorities will take all necessary measures to check the flow of Bahraini shrimps to neighbouring markets, where it is sold for double the price.
While acknowledging the hardship the ban brings to local fishermen, the MP said that strict measures are needed to impose the ban not only in the markets here but also in the regional markets.
“Supervision should be intensified at all exit points, especially on the King Fahd Causeway,” he said.
In this regard, the MP said, “We’ll form an investigative panel to bring the illegal traders before the law.”
DT News reported earlier that the sale and catch of shrimps are banned in Bahrain as per the decision taken by Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf issued on March 7.
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