The leadership of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture branch in the Makkah region conducted a thorough and comprehensive field inspection tour of Thuwal Port. The tour aimed to enforce strict compliance with marine fishing regulations and ensure adherence to applicable regulations in the Kingdom. This initiative seeks to protect fish stocks from depletion and promote the sustainability of natural resources in the region, in line with national strategies for preserving aquatic resources and the marine environment.
National Vision and Food Security Context
These monitoring campaigns are of particular importance given the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which prioritizes environmental protection and food security. The Ministry is working diligently to implement initiatives within the National Transformation Program related to fisheries, as the fisheries sector is a cornerstone for diversifying income sources and ensuring sustainable and healthy food production. Preserving the marine environment of the Red Sea is not merely a local concern, but a global environmental obligation due to the region's unique biodiversity.
Details of the field tour and participating leaders
The field operation was led by the Director of the Agriculture Department, Engineer Mohammed Al-Shehri, accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Mohammed Al-Jamaan, and the Head of the Fisheries Department, Ibrahim Al-Maliki. The team directly observed the monitoring operations and ensured the application of regulations on the ground. The campaign focused primarily on monitoring the extent to which fishermen and recreational boaters adhered to the agricultural regulations, while also conducting a comprehensive technical inspection of fishing equipment to ensure its compliance with approved technical specifications and to verify that it was free of prohibited tools that could harm coral reefs or juvenile fish.
Expected economic and environmental impact
From an economic and environmental perspective, these stringent measures aim to achieve a delicate balance that ensures the sustainability of the fishing industry for future generations. Indiscriminate and unsustainable fishing practices deplete fish stocks, threatening the long-term livelihoods of local fishermen and disrupting the delicate ecological balance of the Red Sea. Therefore, implementing responsible fishing practices contributes to enhancing the natural productivity of fisheries, supports the local economy of Thuwal and surrounding areas, and strengthens the region's appeal as a tourist destination based on a clean and vibrant marine environment.
Awareness and preventive monitoring
The ministry's efforts during this tour were not limited to penalties and deterrence; they also included direct guidance and awareness messages to fishermen to raise their awareness of environmental regulations and the risks associated with violations. The Department of Agriculture explained that these field visits are a pivotal part of a strategic preventative monitoring plan aimed at eliminating violations before they escalate. At the conclusion of the tour, officials emphasized that the sustainability of fish stocks is a fundamental pillar of national food security, and that adherence to regulations is the only way to achieve sustainable development goals and preserve the nation's natural resources.
