Dubai - Hamour Danger

Fans of UAE diet staple the Hamour fish could be left feeling hungry if action is not taken to protect it from over-fishing, according to Dubai environmentalists. EWS-WWF has categorised the popular white coral-bed fish as a uA‹A“flagship speciesu, and has made it the subject of a comprehensive campaign to conserve its home in the UAEus the coral beds. A WWF spokesperson said: uA…aˆ?The Hamour is the most commercial fish in the UAE but due to their slow reproductive rate they are particularly vulnerable to over-fishing.uA‚A? The strictly reef-dependent fish are some of the oldest fish on the coral reef, some being more than 50 years old, and are born females. The fish, which can reach up to three metres and weigh more than 400kg, only change to males as they become much older - meaning their reproduction rate is far slower than other fish. And that, say the WWF, is where the problem lies. uA…aˆ?Hamours in the Arabian Gulf are exported up to seven times beyond sustainable levels, mainly because they are caught before they can reproduce,uA‚A? said the spokesperson...