DUBAI 10 June 2019: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE), has announced that applications for subsidised Mercury 150hp marine engines at 50 per cent of the full price are open from 9th June to 11th July, 2019.
Eligible fishermen can submit their applications at fishing boat registration centres across the UAE.
The ministry has outlined a set of eligibility guidelines:
- The applicants should practice fishing as a permanent occupation
- Their gross monthly salary should not exceed Dh30,000 as per an attested salary certificate
- The fishermen should not have received any marine engine support between 2016 and 2018
- They should have enlisted in the ministry’s public register prior to 2016
To guarantee that only law-abiding fishermen receive the subsidised engines, the guidelines also specify that applicants should not have committed any offenses during 2018 in terms of possessing or using prohibited fishing tools or equipment as per the relevant laws, said Wam.
While considering the applications, MoCCAE will prioritise fishermen who practice fishing as their main profession and fishermen who work on their own boats or have their first- to fourth-degree relatives working on their boats on their behalf.
Sultan Alwan, Assistant Under-Secretary of the Regions Sector at Ministry, said, “A nation’s marine wealth is considered a key renewable natural resource and plays a valuable role in securing its food supply. Through providing subsidised engines, we seek to highlight the socio-economic importance of the fishing profession to the country, to reduce fishermen’s expenses, and to support the fishing industry in driving food safety and ensuring sustainable local production.”
Dh11,950 per engine
In a bid to enhance its customer services, the ministry allows fishermen to pay the amount of Dh11,950 – half of the original price of the engine – within a month from the application approval. Applicants who fail to make the payment within this period will be eliminated from the scheme.
The ministry has selected an environmentally friendly model of the subsidised marine engine. The 150hp four-stroke engine features a variety of advantages, such as reduced fuel consumption, as well as lower noise levels and gas emissions. Unlike with other engines, the combustion process takes place internally while maintaining functional efficiency.
The supplier will carry out a complimentary installation of the engines on the fishermen’s boats without labour charges. This excludes the cost of extra parts, such as batteries and steering wheels.
