- November 4, 2024
EPISODE #
Where is my seafood coming from? A conversation on turtles, tech and fishy business practices!
About this episode
I sat down with H.E. Sheikh Fahim a member of the Executive Council of Sharjah and the Executive Chairman of the Department of Government Relations to talk about his marine conservation work.
Sheikh Fahim a.k.a. ‘the Turtle Sheikh’ whose love for the ocean – sparked by saving ‘Farah’ a turtle stuck in a fishing net – led him to launch SeafoodSouq, a technology business that tracks the global seafood supply chain or as per his words ‘a digital passport for fish’. Our conversation covers the state of our oceans, overfishing, bycatch and outright fraud.
A fascinating discussion about the need for us all to do our bit and most importantly, to ask a very simple question: where is my fish coming from?
Support for the show comes from Capital.com, a global investment platform with offices in Dubai. Click here.
00:00:00 A twist of fate: saving Farah the turtle
00:01:08 Introducing Sheikh Fahim: The turtle Sheikh
00:02:14 A Deep Dive into Marine Conservation
00:06:38 The importance of ocean health
00:15:03 Challenges facing our oceans
00:18:40 The role of technology in sustainable fishing
00:27:57 Understanding seafood traceability
00:35:28 Consumer awareness and ethical choices
00:37:15 Ethical farming and protein hierarchy
00:38:20 Seafood’s place in the protein hierarchy
00:39:38 The importance of seafood traceability
00:42:41 Challenges in ocean conservation
00:44:32 The role of innovation in ocean conservation
01:03:23 Sharjah’s commitment to sustainability
01:10:09 Rapid fire questions and conclusion
listen to the episode
guest profile
H.E. Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi
Sheikh Fahim is a respected member of The Executive Council of Sharjah, an organization established to assist the Ruler of the Emirate, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, in drafting policies to raise the social and economic development of the Emirate.
In his role as the Executive Chairman of The Department of Government Relations, Sheikh Fahim leads the cooperation between Sharjah Government departments and International governments and NGOs. Working alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, the Department of Government Relations coordinates Sharjah’s international portfolio of trade, tourism, culture and educational ties across the globe.
Prior to joining the Sharjah Government, he worked in strategic advisory and performance monitoring of a portfolio of state-owned assets in the UAE. With a background in public sector strategy and investments, he supported the Government in developing policies to achieve both financial and socio-economic returns in state-owned enterprises.
Sheikh Fahim has been awarded the Grand Collar if the Order of Antonio José de Irisarri from the President of Guatemala. Sheikh Fahim serves as the Vice President of the Alliance Française of Sharjah. He holds a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge and speaks four languages: English, Arabic, French, and German.