Mohammad Tabish
Advanced National Aquaculture and Fisheries
UAE
Title: Marine fish farming in UAE – Redirecting the economy towards community development, environment and natural capital viability values
Biography
Biography: Mohammad Tabish
Abstract
A new food policy paradigm has emerged in UAE, stressing eco-traceable, on-land produced fish, addressing cosmopolitan consumer demand of Bass and Bream transcending to a host of native sparids and outshining further to groupers, Amber Jacks and Red Snappers within diversified farms (pens and sea cages to greenhouse ponds and RAS systems) and diversified diner’s plates (Asians, Nationals, Arabs, Far East & Westerners). At national level, considerations for leveling seafood prices, balancing producer and consumer interests transformed today to niche segment demands as a societal health reflection of dietary choices (saturated fatty acids of European Breams for infants and expectants/lactating) to high n-3 HUFA fortified fillet-friendly Groupers, Salmon & Kingfish. Profound quantitative research in UAE food policies has discerned behavioral indicators, linking home-choice front as market-determining business species variables. Governmental policies have solicited proactive public-private partnered (PPP) scientific solutions for the blue economy. Unlocking scientific native fish farming potential of Emirates seas as pivotal need for Emirates, rather than locking the breeding keys, ANAF focused upon local knowledge capacity enrichment as skill development vocational culture, streaming into local industry. As conquest of Blue frontier is highly eco centric, ensuring that ocean sphere is deemed the next wave of sustainable fish farming, we produced 20 million fingerlings last two years. The continued knowledge accrual through PPPs would enhance profitability and growth performance of small, medium and large aquaculture enterprises, combining and transferring new and existing knowledge into innovative, competitive solutions seizing futuristic global business opportunities. The neo liberalization of Gulf natural resources - governance, privatization, financial investments and economic valuation has just begun. Analytical thoughts on overall Blue farming needs UAE society integrating biological economies and social sciences have been discussed and reported.