Shura Council supports tougher penalties to tackle illegal fishing and environmental damage

TDT | Manama

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A parliament-backed law toughening penalties for illegal fishing has been approved by the Shura Council in its session yesterday, with members warning that Bahrain’s marine wealth is under threat from unchecked fishing and environmental harm.

The council’s Public Utilities and Environment Committee backed amendments to Article 33 of Decree-Law No. 20 of 2002, originally put forward by Parliament.

The changes would bring heavier penalties for those breaching fishing laws, increasing fines and jail terms to clamp down on practices damaging fish stocks and marine ecosystems.

Minister of Oil and Environment, His Excellency Dr Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Daina, attended the session.

Deterrent

Committee rapporteur Jumaa Mohammed Al Kaabi said existing penalties were no longer an effective deterrent.

“The law must keep up with the damage being done,” he said, pointing to ongoing breaches that continue to strain marine life.

Under current law, fines start as low as BD500, and jail terms begin at just a month.

Changes

The proposed changes, already backed by the lower house, would stretch prison sentences to a minimum of six months for serious offences, while major breaches — such as large-scale poaching or industrial waste dumping — would carry at least a year behind bars.

The steepest fines would rise from BD3,000 to BD100,000. Al Kaabi said the move follows Article 9 of the Constitution, which states that Bahrain must “take the necessary measures to protect the environment and preserve wildlife.”

Harm

“The penalties in the current law do not match the harm being inflicted on marine resources,” he said. “This amendment will ensure that fisheries and other marine life are shielded from destructive practices, protecting an essential part of the country’s food security.”

The Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture and the Supreme Council for Environment have backed the changes.

The Supreme Council has warned that weak enforcement has allowed large-scale breaches to go unchecked, including coral reef damage and illegal sand dredging.

Enforcement Dr Bassam Al Binmohammed said enforcement needed to match the strength of the law. “A deterrent law is only as strong as the oversight behind it,” he said. “Tougher penalties on paper won’t be enough unless backed by sustained action.”