Muscat: The value of fish landings climbed 16.1 per cent to RO 243.787 million during the first eight months of this year, up from RO 210,250 million for the corresponding period of 2020.
In quantity terms, the landings totaled 542,722 tonnes this year, representing an increase of 21.4 per cent from the tally of 446,985 tonnes for the same period of 2020.
According to National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), landings in Al Wusta Governorate totaled 214,220 tonnes, followed by North and South Al Sharqiyah (166,497 tonnes), Dhofar (47,527 tonnes) North and South Al Batinah (46,669 tonnes), Musandam (29,270 tons), and Muscat (18,150 tonnes).
Pelagic species caught by artisanal fishermen totalled 299,373 tonnes during the Jan–Aug 2021 period, compared to 242,944 tonnes during the same period in 2020, representing an increase of 23.2 per cent. The catch of large surface fish increased 16.6 per cent to 121,786 tonnes this year, up from 104,489 tonnes last year.
The contribution of artisanal fishermen to the total catch was 522,444 tons during the Jan-Aug 2021 period, which coastal fishing accounted for 2,678 tonnes. Commercial fishing vessels pitched in with 17,599 tonnes of fish.
(With inputs from ONA).
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