Kuwait allows exchange between leikh and trap fishing licenses under new regulations
The Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) has issued a new decision allowing the conversion of fishing licenses between leikh (gillnet) and trap methods, under three specific regulations.
According to Article One of the decision, exemptions from Article 5 of Resolution No. (1111) of 2016—amended by Resolution No. (538/2017)—are permitted to enable license conversion under the following conditions:
The conversion rate must not exceed 20% of the total licenses for each fishing method.
If the number of applications exceeds the set limit, priority will be given based on the order of submission recorded in the Authority’s general registry during the application period, reports Al-Rai daily.
Licenses may only be converted once annually during January, for a period of one month.
Article Two states that these regulations will be subject to annual review by the Technical Committee for Fisheries Sector Affairs, which may recommend partial or full suspension of the conversion policy in line with environmental and fishing activity considerations.
Additionally, PAAFR issued a separate decision regarding the lengths of fiberglass fishing boats used for traps or gillnets. The amendment to Paragraph Three of Article Two of Resolution No. (543/2016)—as modified by Resolutions No. (750/2016) and (985/2018)—sets new size limits for such vessels.
Under the updated regulation, fiberglass boats engaged in fishing using traps or gillnets must measure between 20 and 40 feet in total length, and must use outboard engines when operating within Kuwaiti territorial waters.
