Oman ranks 17th globally and first in Gulf in the fisheries index

Muscat: Dr. Dawood bin Sulaiman Al Yahyaei, Director General of Fisheries Research, announced the completion of five major projects funded by the Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund, including oyster farming in Musandam, marine fish farming in salted farms, and a study on brown mussel farming in Dhofar. The directorate also documented Omani marine biodiversity with notable firsts, such as the discovery of spider crabs in the Arabian Sea and the addition of 122 cartilaginous fish species to global databases.

Key achievements include Oman’s top global rankings in the bottom trawling indices and significant progress in the state of fish stocks, securing 23rd place globally. Research centers implemented 14 applied programs, monitoring economically vital fish species and studying the effects of environmental changes on marine biodiversity.

The Directorate also spearheaded innovative projects, such as developing fish feed from local resources like date pits and dried tabak in collaboration with Oman Palm Development Company. A seaweed farming pilot project and experiments in sustainable shrimp farming underscored Oman’s commitment to leveraging local resources for sustainable aquaculture.
In 2024, the Directorate signed agreements with Sultan Qaboos University and Sohar University to integrate artificial intelligence into fish biomass assessments and to enhance the livelihoods of artisanal fishermen. Additionally, an experimental marine fish farm was established using recycled water systems.

Efforts to domesticate 40,000 Omani abalone fry and monitor rare species like the Omani anemone fish reflect Oman’s dedication to preserving its unique marine biodiversity.