MUSCAT: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, represented by the Directorate-General of Fisheries Research, is conducting a survey to explore fish resources in the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman as part of its efforts to tap fisheries in a sustainable manner during the coming period.
The survey aims to provide accurate data on the available fish biomass in the seas of the Sultanate of Oman, provide estimates of the sizes, distribution and seasonal abundance of the targeted fish species, and provide physical environmental information to understand the biological and environmental diversity of the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman. It also aims at exploring artisanal fishing areas that are less exploited, verifying the existence of new fishing areas that can be exploited for deep-sea fishing for marine invertebrates and lightfish, providing data on the nutritional levels of important fish species and identifying seasonal changes and spatial distribution of plankton biomass and its availability along the coast of Oman.
Dr Dawood al Yahyai, Director-General of Fisheries Research at Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, explained that this national survey aims to preserve the sustainability of marine resources as part of the food security system as well as provide the data and information required to develop optimal and sustainable exploitation plans and develop administrative policies to preserve marine resources and environmental balance. He noted that conducting the survey is in line with the goals of the Oman Vision 2040 specifically with regard to the sustainable environment axis, the economy and development axis, economic diversification and the environment and natural resources.
The survey for exploring fish resources in the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman would contribute to enhancing food security by sustaining fish supply and marine species by managing them in accordance to scientific data and stock estimates. It also contributes to determining the seasonal bans and the sizes of aquatic resources that are allowed for fishing as well as proposing models of fisheries management to protect the living aquatic resources in the Sultanate of Oman. — ONA
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