Shrimp ban violation continues in Kingdom

Manama 

Though the ban on sale of shrimps is prevalent in Bahrain, the shrimps are widely available, especially at the interior places of the Kingdom. 

The Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry has banned the catching of shrimps from March 15 to September 15. However, the sale of local shrimps in various parts of the Kingdom are yet to be halted. 

A fish seller from Sanabis, who was selling a large quantity of shrimps, said that there was a heavy movement of shrimps in the Kingdom, despite ban. The seller, on condition of anonymity, said that shrimps were available all over the Kingdom, except at the major fish markets. 

“The shrimps caught by the local men are not brought to the prominent markets of the Kingdom. Instead, they are taken to the interior areas, where the authorities rarely visit,” said the fisherman, who was selling shrimps for BD2.5 per KG. 

He added that people loved to buy local shrimps and the stocks get easily emptied every time. 

Police on May 23, seized illegal shrimps worth BD10,000 on Jidhafs Central Market. Police had also confiscated shrimp from customers who had already bought some from the seller. But this action has not deterred the sellers from selling shrimps.

Ban on shrimp catching usually lasts from March 15 until July 15. But this year, the ban has been extended until September 15 to allow stocks to replenish. Fishermen in last March protested the decision of the ministry, claiming that six-month long ban was too much.