The move aligns with the nationwide drive to ensure the availability of food products, including fish, to meet local demand, and to sustain the livelihood of fishermen and support the fishing sector amid the rising global health concerns.

According to the Ministerial Decision No. 501 of 2015, an annual ban on fishing and trade of Arabian safi and sheri comes into effect from March 1 to April 30, coinciding with the spawning season of the fish.

Issued in 2015, the Ministerial Decision has proven effective in boosting the populations of Arabian safi and sheri. Surveys conducted by MOCCAE have compared the fish stocks prior to and following the enforcement of the decision, and recorded increases in the catches of safi and sheri at 30 percent and 17 percent respectively.