In a strategic move aimed at protecting vital marine resources and enhancing their sustainability, the Makkah Region branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has intensified its monitoring efforts through extensive field campaigns targeting fishermen's harbors and marine recreational areas along the region's coastline. These efforts are part of a comprehensive system designed to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and preserve fish stocks as a national treasure for future generations.
Results of monitoring campaigns and awareness efforts
The branch's agriculture department announced that its campaigns resulted in 85 thorough inspection tours , during which nearly 500 fishing and recreational boats . Field teams from the Fisheries Department focused on verifying the boats' compliance with regulations, ensuring that fishermen and recreational boaters adhered to the approved regulations, and guaranteeing the use of legal fishing gear that does not harm the marine environment or deplete fish stocks. These efforts were not limited to monitoring alone; they were accompanied by intensive awareness and guidance programs, through which regulations and instructions were explained to beneficiaries to raise awareness and prevent violations.
National context: Alignment with Saudi Vision 2030
These on-the-ground initiatives are directly aligned with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which places environmental sustainability and the protection of natural resources at the heart of its priorities. The Kingdom seeks to diversify its economy and reduce its reliance on oil, and the marine tourism and fisheries sectors play a pivotal role in this endeavor. By implementing stringent regulations, the Kingdom ensures that growth in these sectors is sustainable and does not come at the expense of the environment, thus reinforcing its position as a responsible tourism and environmental destination.
The importance of the Red Sea and the impact of the campaigns
The Red Sea, bordering the Makkah region, represents a unique environmental and economic treasure, renowned for its rare biodiversity and coral reefs that are among the most resilient in the world to climate change. Protecting this ecosystem is of paramount importance not only locally but also regionally and internationally. Overfishing and unregulated practices threaten this biodiversity and negatively impact the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen who depend on the sea as their primary source of income. These monitoring campaigns are expected to contribute to reducing illegal fishing, restoring fish stocks, and maintaining the health of the marine ecosystem, thereby supporting the stability of coastal communities and enhancing the region's appeal for ecotourism.
Integrating efforts to ensure a sustainable future
Engineer Waleed bin Ibrahim Al-Dughais, Director General of the Ministry's branch in the Makkah region, affirmed that these campaigns embody the principle of effective oversight to raise compliance rates and protect resources from depletion. He emphasized that awareness is a fundamental pillar complementing the oversight role. He also commended the strategic cooperation with the Border Guard Command and other participating entities, stressing that this integration is the true guarantee for the success of compliance plans and the achievement of national goals for environmental sustainability.
