Environmental pollution on the Red Sea shore has caused the loss of up to 70 percent of its fishing wealth, said an official for fishing affairs in Saudi Arabia. Despite government efforts, fish stock has depleted.

 

Losses in commercial fishing have led to the industry importing fish. The domestic fishing industry doesn’t cover more than 40 percent of local demand, which witnessed an increase during the summer. During that time, demand is high and catch is low as a result of fish migration because of high temperatures.

 

Fish production in the Red Sea has decreased during the past 20 years because of environmental pollution. Government authorities are preventing the disposal of sewage water into the sea. These efforts contributed to stabilizing production percentages over the past five years, but these quantities can’t meet the increasing demand.

 

The entire expanse of sea lying between Jeddah and Qunfuda is polluted and has resulted in the depletion of the fish resources and the total disappearance of tuna. Reckless fishing damages the fish-breeding environment.

 

Pollution in the Red Sea has reached epic proportions. Coral reefs spanning thousands of kilometers along the coastline in the region are under threat of extinction. It has recently come under severe pressure due to illegal fishing, the depositing of untreated sewage, the shipping of waste including toxic substances and increased shipping activities carrying chemicals and crude oil.

 

Saudi Arabia imports fish from Oman, Yemen the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, which is famous for its shrimp production.