AL MALEH AND FISHING FESTIVAL

As the 9th edition of “Al Maleh and Fishing” Festival draws near to its conclusion, an impressive turnout of visitors has flocked in from Dibba Al Hisn and other Emirates of the UAE to participate in and attend the festival’s events and activities that reflect the country’s cultural heritage and tell the tale of the ancestors’ customs and traditions.

In addition to displaying traditional fishing tools and methods, the festival featured special corners for modern fishing tools, including boats and engines.

The event continued to enthrall visitors with a series of interesting cultural contests and cooking competitions. It also dedicated special corners for productive families, dried fish shops, salted fish, and marine products, as well as for traditional food, craftsmen, shipbuilding, and other professions.

Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director-General of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), stressed that all organizers, including the chamber, are keen to deliver an exceptional event that will enrich the UAE’s heritage and help preserve the ancient legacy of Dibba Al Hisn, while also stimulating the economic and commercial sectors and supporting the handicraft and food industries in the eastern region.

Several fishermen and owners of shops with expertise in Al Maleh and its derivatives expressed their overjoy to see the event coming back again for the ninth time, adding that Al Maleh and Fishing Festival provided them with an annual opportunity to exchange knowledge and improve their sales of salted fish, as well as introduce younger Emirati generations to the heritage of their fathers and grandfathers.

A fisherman with a specialty in salted fish, Ali Hamid Al Dhahouri, said that he was keen to take part in the festival in order to familiarize younger generations with the professions of their grandparents, particularly Al Malih, which is very popular among locals living near the coast, including in Dibba Al Hisn.

For his part, Mohammad Suleiman Abdullah, who is also specialized in Al Maleh industry, spoke highly of the festival’s organizers for their great efforts being made to preserve the Al Maleh industry.

He noted that Al Maleh industry is thriving year on year thanks to Sharjah government’s ongoing efforts to regulate it. As a result, it is now directly under direct supervision of the municipality, which provided all necessary facilities to enhance the skills of workers in this profession.