How Abu Dhabi Transformed Its Fisheries in Six Years

Last week, I came across a statistic that made me do a double-take (again, so many numbers to be surprised about these days): Abu Dhabi’s Sustainable Fisheries Index jumped from 8.9% in 2018 to 97.4% by the end of 2024. Yup, that’s not a typo. In six years, they went from having one of the most depleted fisheries in the world to achieving what might be the highest sustainable fishing score globally.

I can’t tell you how relieving it is to see this number, given we’ve been witnessing collapse after collapse while leadership dithers over incremental changes. Let me show you something I found.

The brutal starting point

In 2018, Abu Dhabi was dealing with overfishing that had decimated local fish populations, with at least 13 commercially important species harvested beyond sustainable levels. These species represented nearly 80% of the commercial catch. Traditional favorites like Shaari (Spangled Emperor) and Hamour (Grouper) had been so overfished that markets were struggling to find local sources.

It mirrors coastal realities worldwide. As they were confronting the very real threat of fisheries collapse, just like countless communities. What happened next is where it gets interesting.

The transformation nobody saw coming

Instead of the usual approach of forming committees and conducting more studies, Abu Dhabi’s Environment Agency did something that seemed almost radical in its simplicity: they banned the most destructive fishing methods immediately.

In 2018, they outlawed bottom trawling and drift netting entirely. These two fishing methods alone had been responsible for massive ecological damage, but they were also the most productive in terms of immediate catch volume. Imagine the political courage required to tell an entire industry: “Hey! Your most profitable methods are done. Find new ways.”

The real takeaway for me was that they didn’t just prohibit damaging practices and move on. They systematically rolled out alternatives that actually delivered.

Abu Dhabi now relies exclusively on traditional, selective fishing methods. Following the 2019 ban on wire fish traps (Gargoor), handlines (Hadaq) and stationary pound nets (Hadhra) are the only gear allowed across all fishing grounds.

The part that gives me hope

In 2024, researchers documented the return of species that had been locally extinct. They recorded 55 specimens of the rare nuaimi fish and the first sighting of white-spotted grouper in decades. The large-scaled triggerfish and spotted oceanic triggerfish started showing up again.

But what really gets me excited is how they’re scaling this success. Abu Dhabi launched the Dalma Fish Project, using AI-enabled marine cages to farm local species like Hamour, Shaari, and Safi. It’s producing 100 tonnes annually while serving as a living laboratory for sustainable aquaculture techniques.

They’re not keeping this knowledge to themselves either. Somalia just signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Ports Group to apply these same methods to modernize their fisheries. The model is spreading. (yay!)

What this means for the rest of us

Abu Dhabi proved that rapid fisheries recovery is possible, but only when you’re willing to make hard decisions quickly and back them up with serious resources.

The lesson isn’t that we all need Abu Dhabi’s budget. The lesson is that we need Abu Dhabi’s decisiveness and their willingness to completely change course when the science is clear.

In many local fisheries, profit still dominates the conversation even as resources diminish. Abu Dhabi demonstrates the potential of putting ecological recovery at the foundation and building the economy around it.

Where we can start acting

We can point to Abu Dhabi as evidence that rapid progress isn’t just a dream. In six years, sustainability rose from 8.9% to 97.4% — a model conservationists can share when “gradual change” is presented as the only option.

When fishing communities resist gear restrictions, we can show them that Abu Dhabi’s fishermen are now catching more fish using selective methods than they were during the overfishing crisis.

When policymakers claim that economic and environmental interests are incompatible, we can highlight that Abu Dhabi’s sustainable approach is supporting a thriving aquaculture industry that’s attracting international partnerships.

The bigger picture

What Abu Dhabi accomplished challenges the conventional wisdom that marine recovery requires decades of incremental progress. They demonstrated that when you have clear science, political will, and the courage to make dramatic changes quickly, ecosystems can bounce back far faster than anyone thought possible.

For all of us in marine conservation, Abu Dhabi’s story serves as a prompt to reconsider the pace of change. Could our own communities achieve results like this in the years ahead, rather than over generations?

Written by: Junior Thanong Aiamkhophueng

Attribution: Information drawn from Abu Dhabi Media Office, Environment Agency Abu Dhabi reports, Gulf News coverage, and UAE Government official sources.”