Fish Species In The UAE

The following are the local fish species caught in the waters of the UAE. Some fish breeds are endangered and we should put that in mind before we take any fish home. We should always respect the instructions or information provided by Dubai Municipality to keep our fish stock healthy in our own playground and enjoy fishing for a lifetime. 

Epaulet Grouper

AKA HAMOUR KHOR
Minimum Legal Length : 25 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2
IUCN: Data deficient
Threatened

Duskytail Grouper

AKA SAMMAN
Minimum Legal Length : 30 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 1
IUCN: Near Threatened
Threatened

Areolate Grouper

AKA SAMMAN
Minimum Legal Length : 30 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2
IUCN: Least concern
Threatened

Orange Spotted Grouper

AKA HAMOUR
Minimum Legal Length : 45 cm. Number of Fish -Bag / day 1
IUCN: Near Threatened
Threatened

Yellowfin Hind

AKA AROUSA
Minimum Legal Length : 29 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2
IUCN: Near Threatened
Threatened

Malabar Grouper

AKA HAMOUR
Minimum Legal Length : 50 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 1
IUCN: Near Threatened
Threatened

Striped Grouper

AKA BORTAM
Minimum Legal Length : 86 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 1
IUCN: Least concern
Threatened

Spinycheek Grouper

AKA HAMOUR
Minimum Legal Length : 49 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 1
IUCN: Near Threatened

Spangled Emperor

AKA SHERI
Minimum Legal Length : 28 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2
Fishing and marketing Sheri (Spangled emperor) during breeding season of the state with effect from 1 March until April 30 of each year.

Smalltooth Emperor

AKA SOLI
Minimum Legal Length : 28 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Snubnose Emperor

AKA YAMAH
Minimum Legal Length : 24 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Pink Ear Emperor

AKA SHKAILI
Minimum Legal Length : 28 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Black Spot Snapper

AKA NAISAR
Minimum Legal Length : 16 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 8

Five Lined Snapper

AKA AQLAA
Minimum Legal Length : 16 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 8

Pinjal Snapper

AKA NOAIMI
Minimum Legal Length : 20 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Malabar Blood Snapper

AKA HAMRA
Minimum Legal Length : 35 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2

Mangrove Red Snapper

AKA UM DURAIS
Minimum Legal Length : 20 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Bigeye Snapper

AKA SARKHO
Minimum Legal Length : 14 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 6

Crimson Snapper

AKA UM DURAIS
Minimum Legal Length : 30 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Malabar Trevally

AKA JESH SAL
Minimum Legal Length : 22 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Orange Spotted Trevally

AKA JESH NOAIMI
Minimum Legal Length : 25 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Brownback Trevally

AKA JESH ASFAR
Minimum Legal Length : 30 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Yellow Scad

AKA HAMAM
Minimum Legal Length : 17 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 8

Golden Trevally

AKA ZURAIDI
Minimum Legal Length : 33 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2

Needlescaled Queenfish

AKA BASSAR
Minimum Legal Length : 40 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Torpedo scad, Finny scad

AKA DIYAYOH
Minimum Legal Length : 25 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Talang Queenfish

AKA DELA'
Minimum Legal Length : 63.5 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Blacktip Trevally

AKA JESH FARU
Minimum Legal Length : 66 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2

Snubnose Pompano

AKA AL SIBN
Minimum Legal Length : 58 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Herring Scad

AKA QAMLOH
Minimum Legal Length : 15 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Arabian Scad

AKA SAIMA
Minimum Legal Length : 8 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 8

Indian Threadfish

AKA SAL
Minimum Legal Length : 26 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Coast Trevally

AKA JESH ABYAD
Minimum Legal Length : 17.4 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Indian Pompano

AKA AL SIBN
Minimum Legal Length : 18 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Greater Amberjack

AKA HAMAMAH
Minimum Legal Length : 80 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2

Mackerel Tuna

AKA TABBAN
Minimum Legal Length : 40 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Frigate Tuna

AKA TABBAN
Minimum Legal Length : 35 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Stripped Bonito

AKA SADA
Minimum Legal Length : 20 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Indian Mackerel

AKA QARFA
Minimum Legal Length : 20 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Longtail Tuna

AKA QABBAB
Minimum Legal Length : 50 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Narrowbarred Spanish Mackerel

AKA KANAD, KING
Minimum Legal Length : 60 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2

Silver Biddy

AKA BADEH
Minimum Legal Length : 23 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 6

Whipfin Silver Biddy

AKA BADEH
Minimum Legal Length : 17 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Two-bar Sea Bream

AKA FESKAR
Minimum Legal Length : 28 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Goldlined Seabream

AKA QABIT
Minimum Legal Length : 25 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Yellowfin Bream

AKA SHA'AM
Minimum Legal Length : 24 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Long Finned Sea Bream

AKA KOFAR
Minimum Legal Length : 24 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

One Spot Sea Bream

AKA UM JAWA'A
Minimum Legal Length : 22 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Sobaity Sea Bream

AKA SUBAITI
Minimum Legal Length : 20 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2

Picnic Seabream

AKA SHA"AM KHOR
Minimum Legal Length : 22 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Arabian Pandora

AKA HAMAMAH
Minimum Legal Length : 23 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Silver Grunt

AKA NAGROUR
Minimum Legal Length : 24 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Black Spotted Rubberlip

AKA HILALI
Minimum Legal Length : 16 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Minstrel Sweetlip

AKA YANIM
Minimum Legal Length : 24 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Painted Sweet Lips

AKA FARSH
Minimum Legal Length : 36 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

NotchedFin Threadfin Bream

AKA HAMRAH
Minimum Legal Length : 16 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 6

Black-streaked Monocle Bream

AKA BZAIMI
Minimum Legal Length : 20 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 6

Arabian Monocle Bream

AKA AIN BATWI
Minimum Legal Length : 15 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 8

Delagoa Threadfin Bream

AKA SULTAN IBRAHIM
Minimum Legal Length : 18 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 6

Cobia

AKA SAKAL
Minimum Legal Length : 60 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 1

White Spotted Rabbitfish

AKA SAFI ARABI
Minimum Legal Length : 24 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Streaked Rabbitfish

AKA SAFI SUNAIFI
Minimum Legal Length : 18 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Long Rayed Bream Gizzard Shad

AKA YAWAFAH
Minimum Legal Length : 15 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 5

Silver Sillago

AKA HASOOM
Minimum Legal Length : 19 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Yellowtip Halfbeak

AKA SALAS
Minimum Legal Length : 15 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 8

Giant Catfish

AKA KHAN
Minimum Legal Length : 36 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Sergeant Major

AKA SHNAINWAH
Minimum Legal Length : 12 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Yellowbar Angelfish

AKA ANFOOR
Minimum Legal Length : 22 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Seamullet Head

AKA BAYAH
Minimum Legal Length : 16 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 6

Milk Fish

AKA AIFA
Minimum Legal Length : 68 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2

Great Barracuda

AKA AL JED AL KABEER
Minimum Legal Length : 58 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2

Dorab Wolfherring

AKA HAF
Minimum Legal Length : 50 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Yellow Scale ParrotfisH

AKA QEEN
Minimum Legal Length : 30 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 2

Yellowfin Needlefish

AKA HAQOOL
Minimum Legal Length : 40 cm. Number of Fish - Bag / day 4

Indian Squid

AKA HABBAR
Not allowed to catch by recreational fishermen

Arabian Cuttlefish

AKA NAGAR
Not allowed to catch by recreational fishermen

Sand Lobster

AKA JARAD AL BAHAR
Not allowed to catch because it was threatened
Threatened

Blue Crab

AKA SALTAON AL AZRAQ
Minimum Legal size of crab is: 11 cm.
Number of Fish -Bag / day 5

Spottail Shark

Most common shark at 32% of the total number of sharks

Milk Shark

Most common shark at 30% of the total number of sharks

Blacktip Shark

Most common shark at 14% of the total number of sharks

Special Thanks To:

Mr. Qais Al Yamour

Dubai Municipality Fisheries Environmental Studies and Research Specialist

dubai-municipality-logo-2019.jpg

Share This List

Facebook
Twitter
Email
WhatsApp