The event, which started on Monday and will run for three days, was held at the General Presidency for Meteorology and Environment in Jeddah.

Talal Abu Shousha, the general manager of the fisheries center in Jeddah, said the group discussed forming a regional committee that could regulate fishing in the Red Sea.

According to Abu Shousha, the obstacles and difficulties the fishing sector faces are common to all countries in the region. "We are discussing cooperation and how financing can be achieved through collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization, the other international agencies and governments," he said.

Abu Shousha said awareness about pollution and the environment would help citizens and companies be committed to environmental protection. The Red Sea has localized pollution concentrated around cities.

"We have strict rules about environmental protection, but we don't have a monitoring mechanism. We need financing so we can get necessary monitoring equipment. Talking will not achieve anything," said Abu Shousha.

He said more young volunteers are willing to help in cleaning the coast. "We are happy to assist them," he explained.

Ziyad Abu Gurara, secretary-general of the regional commission for the protection of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, said the workshop is important because it sheds light on dwindling marine resources in the region, which suffers from excessive and illegal fishing.

He added that the workshop will also address the experiences of different countries in the region and increase knowledge on how to manage fishing, stressing on the need for collaboration to implement strategies and legislation to develop the industry in the region.

The workshop has been held with the participation of representatives from Saudi Arabia, Jordon, Djibouti, Sudan, Egypt, Somalia and Yemen.