UAE’s “Prime” company plunders Socotra’s fish wealth, destroys unique marine life

SOCOTRA, Oct. 08 (YPA) – Environmental activists have sounded the alarm, warning of widespread and organized plundering campaigns targeting the fish resources in the Yemeni Socotra Archipelago, located east of the Gulf of Aden.

They accuse the UAE’s “Prime” company and its affiliated entities of being behind these practices.

The activists pointed the finger at the Emirati company for engaging in reckless and excessive fishing that affects all types of marine life, including sharks. They noted that this activity disregards designated fishing seasons, thus dangerously threatening the unique marine environmental balance in the archipelago, which is classified as a World Natural Reserve.

Activists circulated photos showing the massive scale of fishing operations carried out outside the usual breeding and fishing seasons, with the catch being mainly exported to the UAE. Environmentalists reported that the company is indiscriminately “scraping” the fish wealth, which threatens the existence of many rare fish species.

These practices have raised increasing concerns about the future of marine life in Socotra. The activists demanded an immediate halt to these flagrant violations of environmental and maritime laws, stressing that they also threaten the livelihoods of local fishermen who rely on these resources as a main source of income.

In a related context, the activists criticized the silence and inaction of the Saudi-led coalition-affiliated government regarding the plundering and destruction operations in Socotra, which the UAE recently converted into a joint military base and allowed entry for foreign tourists, including “Israelis.”

YPA