Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the agency has issued an administrative decision extending the season for fishing with fixed-gear, known locally as Al Hadhra, across the waters of Abu Dhabi until 31 October 2026.
The decision extends the season by a month beyond its scheduled close on 30 September, and applies to over 40 licensed Al Hadhra fishermen operating along the emirate's coastline and islands, from Al Dhafra in the west to the eastern shores of Abu Dhabi city.
The fishermen of Abu Dhabi carry a heritage older than the nation itself, with the sea serving as an enduring source of livelihood, identity and pride. In line with the vision of Abu Dhabi's leadership, environmental protection and community well-being are treated as a unified commitment. This decision reflects the dedication of local fishermen, supporting them and their families while securing a sustainable future for the sector.
The extension has been made possible by the recovery of Abu Dhabi's fish stocks. At the end of 2025, the emirate's Sustainable Fisheries Index reached 100 per cent, up from 8 per cent in 2018, confirming that every major commercial species assessed in Abu Dhabi waters is now being fished within sustainable limits. Key coastal species that had fallen to critical levels, including Naiser (Ehrenberg's Snapper), Yanim (Sordid Rubberlip), and Zuraidi (Golden Trevally), are showing sustained recovery, with larger and more mature fish recorded in EAD's annual fish stock assessments on Al Hadhra permits.
Grounding the decision in scientific evidence, EAD confirmed that Al Hadhra is a low-impact traditional method that targets fish moving through shallow coastal waters, and can support a longer season this year without placing pressure on the rebuilt stocks. This outcome reflects the discipline fishermen have shown over the past eight years in adopting measures developed in partnership with them, and it delivers additional weeks of income at a time of year when Al Hadhra catches are typically strong.
EAD sets the duration of every season on the basis of science and in close consultation with the Abu Dhabi Fishermen's Cooperative Society and fishing communities across the emirate, ensuring regulatory timelines dynamically adapt to ecosystem health while safeguarding commercial viability.
The decision forms part of the Hamdan bin Zayed: The World's Richest Seas initiative, which combines regulation, restoration and direct assistance to the fishing community. EAD has built a regulatory framework that protects traditional livelihoods, from the rules governing Al Hadhra fishing to this year's decision permitting the fishing and marketing of badah following improved stock indicators.
At sea, the agency is applying nature-based solutions alongside targeted habitat enhancement to restore the ecosystems on which healthy fisheries depend. Mangrove restoration is rebuilding vital nursery grounds where juvenile fish can shelter, feed and grow, while coral restoration projects are rehabilitating reef habitats that provide spawning, feeding and refuge areas for a wide range of commercially important species. The target of 40,000 artificial reefs complement these efforts by creating additional structured habitats that support marine life and help strengthen fisheries productivity.
To ensure the extended season delivers for fishermen and for the marine environment alike, EAD teams will carry out field visits to Al Hadhra sites across Abu Dhabi’s coastline and offshore islands throughout the period and will run awareness sessions for fishermen on sustainable practice, minimum catch sizes and the correct maintenance of fixed-gear installations. Fishermen are reminded that the extension applies to licensed Al Hadhra sites only, and that all other fishing regulations, closed seasons and protected-species rules remain in force.
The agency will continue to monitor stock indicators through its landing-site surveys and the Jaywun research vessel and will use the results to inform the length of future seasons.
Al Hadhra is a traditional Emirati fishing method in which a fixed, fence-like trap is set in shallow coastal waters. Fish entering with the tide are guided into an enclosure and retained as the water recedes. Passed down through generations of coastal families, it is one of the emirate's oldest forms of fishing and remains an important source of livelihood for Emirati fishermen in Abu Dhabi and Al Dhafra.
