Spanish Mackerel, locally known as Al Kanaad and a well-known fish in the UAE, yesterday appeared in the emirate in huge quantities after an acute shortage over the past few months.

Mohammed Al Zaabi, Head of the Fisheries Section at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, said two UAE national fishermen yesterday caught at least 30 big Kanaad and displayed them at the Al Muaireed Fish Market.

Al Zaabi, who accompanied reporters to the fish market, stressed the fish had disappeared for the past six months and not a single one was caught.

The department always asked fishermen whether they had managed to catch one and the answer was negative. Fishermen had lost all hope until yesterday, and are eager to catch the fish.

All the fish caught yesterday were big. The smallest was a metre long and weighed at least 20kg. Al Muaireed Fish Market was very crowded as people rushed there. Each fish sold quickly for at least Dh300.

The two fishermen, Abdullah Issa and Ali Karam, informed the department saying there are more fish in the water than demand.