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SAIL HO! Fishing for marine conservation? You think I’m joking, don’t you? But although the charter boats of the Meridian Mina Seyahi fleet near Dubai operate on a undeniably commercial basis, they have an interesting story to tell. One of the best kept secrets of the game fishing world is the abundance of sailfish off the coast of Dubai at certain times of the year. Those in the know rate the Dubai Sailfish Experience as the finest in the world, and even the critics of this theory consider it number two.From January through to April the seas offshore from Dubai literally boil with numerous small baitfish that are driven to the surface by larger marine predators, including great numbers of sailfish. Once a confirmed detractor of fishing, regarding the sport as sedentary and over-rated, nothing could prepare me for the thrill and excitement of two days out amongst the sailfish. Regarded as the ultimate game fish, the sailfish seldom disappoints punters as it displays a remarkable ability to fight the line and leap aggressively in the air when hooked. Hitting the baited lures behind the boat with bad intent, its sides flash a brilliant blue with excitement. The biggest surprise comes when the exhausted fish is brought alongside the boat. No gaffs (wicked steel hooks used to land fish) are employed here. The sailfish is "billed" by the angler as he lays claim to the prize by holding the fish by its long bill. The fish is marked with an individually numbered tag, and gently released into the sea. The local fishermen are horrified by this "waste", especially since the boat crews often release the other fish caught on a typical day out, such as barracuda, kingfish, queenfish and trevally.  This sailfish tag and release programme is monitored internationally, and every year a number of tags are returned by the Iranian commercial sailfish industry and other fishermen in the Gulf. This valuable data allows scientists to monitor the health of the sailfish population, and make recommendations on its management.So if you need an excuse for the adventure of a lifetime, just tell your better half that you are doing your bit for marine conservation! Peter Wright
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