The
BDC is a non-profit organization
promoting scuba diving tourism in Bahrain and helping to protect the
island's marine environment.
Over the years it has been very active in various diving programs
and many marine life protection projects.
Projects include providing the Bahrain Directorate of Fisheries
with volunteer divers to deploy artificial reefs around Bahrain.
Another consisted of deploying hooks with floats to catch drift
nets in banned areas.
 The
BDC also participates in many marine conferences and meetings in the
region related to promoting scuba diving and marine environment protection
as well as holding underwater photography exhibitions.
They have also organized diving competitions.
BDC is looking forward to implement more projects in the near future to
help to protect the marine environment.
One is the Floating Anchorage for the popular Coral
Reef around Bahrain. Over
the years BDC has noticed that Coral Reefs which are popular with divers and
fishermen are slowly getting damaged due to boat anchors being dragged or
dropped on them.
The project will benefit the marine environment by reducing or
eliminating coral damage due to anchor dropping.
Since
July 2001, BDC volunteers have
been active in carrying-out the Coral Reef Cleanup Project.
The project has been funded by the Kuwait Fund for Social and
Economic Development and supported by the Bahrain Centre for Studies and
Researches.
The aim is to locate and remove underwater solid waste and trash
(ropes, bottles, plastics, cans, nets, etc.) around all major reefs, pearl
birth areas, and islands surrounding Bahrain.
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Over 200 species of fish have been identified around
Bahrain. Amongst the better known tropical varieties are butterfly fish,
angel fish, parrot fish, clown fish, barracuda, grouper, rays plus many
more. In spring, stingrays are a common sight on the various sandbanks
around Bahrain, where they bask in the sun.
As a young boy (way back in the 1970’s) I was lucky enough to experience
fishing in Saudi Arabia & Bahrain before over fishing and pollution took
its effect on the fishing population. I would often catch large sharks,
Grouper & Sea Bream straight off the beach and just by using a white bed
sheet and a loaf of bread, I would be able to pull out 20 – 30 fish at a
time just inches from the shore line.
So when I returned to Bahrain in the late 1990’s my expectations where
high and thankfully I was not let down. Yes there was a big difference
in the size and number of fish I caught upon my return, but despite
pollution and over fishing, I still had a great time fishing round the
coast of Bahrain and if you use a boat then there are even richer
pickings, fishing near some of the uninhabited islands that dot the
coast of Bahrain.
 I was lucky enough to be treated to the art of Sea Fly fishing by an
American based at the port of Bahrain on my last visit. I had never fly
fished before, let alone sea fly fishing and so the days fishing in the
shallows just by the airport proved to be a very enlightening experience
and even though we didn’t actually catch any thing, there where plenty
of bites and I was assured by my teacher that a couple of days lessons
would soon have me pulling them in.
For me though the true fun of fishing in Bahrain is finding an
uninhabited piece of reclaimed land and fishing from the shore with a
few friends, small camp fire burning in the background and some good
music blasting from the car parked just feet from the shore.
Bahrain is embarking on a huge land reclaim project and it is not
difficult to find causeways of refilled land that jut out from the shore
from any where up to ½ a kilometre in length. At the end of these
causeways there is normally a tiny beach where you can park up and fish;
with luck you might even find some drift wood to burn. These areas
change daily and so it makes it even more interesting when you return to
your favourite spot only to find that it has disappeared and been
replaced by a new piece of land!
From these spots you will be able to catch a large variety of fish such
as Barracuda, Tuna, Grouper & Sea Bream, plus if you are very lucky a
shark or two.
It doesn’t stop there, as Bahrain is an island there are plenty of
places to fish and a great spot is off any of the bridges that connect
the many islands together. The current is normally very strong when the
tide is changing so you will need to use a lot of weight to keep the
line down and these areas can often have very rocky bottoms; expect to
loose some tackle and line!
With out doubt the best bait to use is prawn which can be purchased from
the markets or larger supermarkets but just about any standard sea bait
will do. I have had fun just using bread and good results with squid,
smaller fish, crab etc.
There are not many fishing shops in Bahrain but if you head down to the
souk, you will find a couple that sell a nice range of lures, lines,
rods & reels plus some of the main super markets also sell a limited
selection of fishing equipment to help get you on your way. If you have time
to spare then try shopping on-line as this is a great way to save money on fishing
equipment.
If you get the chance to fish in Bahrain then do! I am sure you will
have a great time and it is also a fun way to get to know the locals and
if you are lucky they may even teach you a few tricks that help you reel them in.
If you have fished in Bahrain or any where in the
Middle East then pass your knowledge on to others. Please use our
contact form and tell us about your fishing experiences in Bahrain or
any where in the Middle East and we will publish them. Send pictures to
pictures@newarabia.net
or upload them now.
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Since leaving the Middle East, I have moved to North
Devon and have still carried on my passion for fishing and so I have now
decided to start a log on my fishing trips in North Devon. Throughout
the year I will write regular articles on my fishing experiences in
North Devon, including tackle that I use, Bait and locations so that any
of you visiting this beautiful part of the world can have a head start
when it comes to fishing in North Devon. The pictures below are from
some of my fishing trips in June & July 2006 taken with a Samsung D500
Mobile phone.
Bahrain
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