Officials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have unveiled a new plan of action detailing how the Middle Eastern country intends to build on recent achievements to expand its wild fish stocks and improve the sustainability of its marine fisheries.
With the launch of the “Hamdan bin Zayed: The World’s Richest Seas” initiative by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi (EAD), the UAE has kicked off a plan to create more sustainable marine sites in the Persian Gulf in order to achieve one of the highest fish densities globally by 2030.
At least 40,000 artificial reef modules will be deployed as part of the program, with that number expected to reach 80,000 by 2030 thanks to support from cross-sector partnerships as EAD strives to “create a resilient marine infrastructure capable of attracting fish, increasing biodiversity, and strengthening natural productivity across the emirate’s waters.”
“The launch of this initiative represents a continuation of an approach grounded in science, innovation, and the regulation of marine practices – one that enhances the sea’s productivity while preserving its natural balance for the benefit of future generations and contributes to strengthening our food security,” Sheikh Hamdan Al-Nahyan, EAD’s chairman and the UAE ruler’s representative in the Al Dhafra region, said.
Abu Dhabi in particular, which in 2024 reported more than 96 percent of its fish stocks being at sustainable levels, is pursuing complementary initiatives on a city level, such as the implementation of the Coral Rehabilitation Project, which aims to increase the number of cultivated coral colonies, alongside the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative, which targets the planting of 50 million mangrove trees by 2030, according to a statement by EAD.
These projects aim to continue sustainability momentum already built up in the UAE.
Abu Dhabi recorded a 100 percent score in the UAE Sustainable Fishing Index at the end of 2025, which represents a massive leap from the 8 percent achieved in 2018.
To ensure that momentum is not lost, the UAE has set its eyes on further strengthening its sustainable utilization of natural resources in conformity with global good standards, with EAD saying the focus will be on the implementation of "high-impact programs grounded in science and innovation.”
