2. Fishing in the UAE
Today, fishing generates one billion dirham annually for the UAE economy; however, it was once a much simpler pursuit.
Did You Know?
Fishing is the second most important natural resource in the UAE, after oil.

3. A Means of Survival
Fishing occurred along the eastern coast of the UAE. Not only did it provide locals with food, but it also gave them a means to make a living.
Fishermen caught a variety of fish, such as hamour (grouper), kingfish and black bream, which were to be traded or sold at local markets.
They also dried and salted sardines and anchovies, which local traders transported to the inland oasis of Al Ain.
Did You Know?
Traditional fishermen also caught dugong and sea turtles - animals that fetched a high price. Today, the capture of these species is forbidden.

4. The Arabian Dhow
Dhows were large boats that could hold people. They had many features, which made them easy to navigate the Arabian Gulf and the rougher waters of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

5. Dhow Construction
The dhow is a wonder of Arabian craftsmanship and it is a complex, innovative sailing craft.
Dhows were traditionally constructed of imported African wood and featured one or two sails (lateens). These seacraft were made by skilled artisans, who arranged wooden planks in the desired shape and then sewed them together.
The masts, which supported the sails, were made from imported coconut wood.
Did You Know?
The earliest sails were made from woven palm leaves while more modern versions were fashioned from imported cotton.

6. The Shasha
The shasha was much smaller than the dhow and was used for fishing along the Gulf shores.
The shasha could fit two or four people and was made almost entirely of date palm.

7. Shasha Construction
The small boat was made by soaking long palm frond stems for days in order to make them pliable. After the palm had been dried, the actual boat only took one day to construct.
The palm frond stems were then bundled and secured together with rope.
Large portions of the date palm trunk were also used for the bottom of the boat. This reinforced its construction and ensured buoyancy.

8. The Hadra Net
The hadra was a V-shaped fence trap used mostly in tidal shallows.
The hadra was a fixed trap; it would be placed in an area and left there.
Fish would be guided and kept inside until harvesting time during low tide when water would leave the area.
The hadra was made entirely from date palm.

9. The Gargour The gargour was a large dome-shaped, movable fish trap.
The gargour was weighed down with rocks. Small dead fish were placed inside to act as bait.
Garagir (plural of gargour) had to be pulled back to the surface to empty out the day’s catch.
Since garagir were made of date palm, if they were accidentally left in the sea, they would disintegrate after a few weeks. This prevented the practice of ‘ghostfishing’, where fish are unintentionally caught.

10. Protecting Fish of the UAE
Unlike in the past, today there are many limits placed on when and how fishing can occur. Fishing permits are limited and the use of certain types of fish trap are also prohibited.
These measures hope to slow the damage done to a once safe industry.