Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Ban on catching, selling kingfish from August 15

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Muscat, August 8 - The catching and selling of kingfish has been banned for two months by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries starting from August 15.


Which means the kingfish will be available in the market for only a few more days before the ban comes into force.


The decision comes at a time when plenty of fish is available in the sea, as a result of which prices have come down considerably.


Earlier, Dr Fuad bin Jaafar al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, stated that empro and yellowfin tuna variety of fish are allowed to be exported only by certified companies, that too in the form of fillets and other products.


These two varieties cannot be exported as a whole and they have to be purchased from the central wholesale markets of Sur and Al Felaj in Barka.


Kingfish is not allowed to be exported throughout the year, but can be imported and sold in the Omani markets.


Another condition is other live fishes have to be exported through airports.


Companies certified to export empro and yellowfin tuna were asked to take into account the domestic demand and cater to the local market as in summer when there is a shortage of supply in the market.


The fish market in Muttrah is buzzing with activity as fishermen from as far as Masira have brought in their catch. Sulayem al Wohebi and Ahmed al Juma are in a hurry as they pack away a whole set of Shari fish to a customer.


Restaurants and hotels are quick to pick the best. “There is plenty of fish and prices are low too. That, again, varies every day,” said Ahmed.


Before Ramadan, the price of Tuna had gone up to RO25, but now it is only RO 10. Barracuda is priced at RO 7 and so is Kingfish. Milkfish is sold for RO 5, said a salesman.


Some of the catches are from Al Bustan, Al Fahal, Al Kheran and Seeb, said Moosa al Kindi, a trader.


Amid brisk negotiations, Dr Wessam Abdulsalam explained how to look for the best fish.“One needs to check whether the body is hard or soft. If the fish is hard, it means it is fresh. If it is soft, you do not want it.”


According to the latest report from National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), fish prices rose 18.35 per cent in July compared with the previous month.


Barracuda, Tuna, Siyyah, Koffer, Hammour, Shari, Kingfish and Sultan Ibrahim and Red Snapper are all in demand in Oman’s fish markets.


A typical evening will see fishermen arriving in Al Khuwair from Ras al Hadd and other parts of Sur, Mahout and other coastal areas, with customers waiting for them.


Crabs, lobsters, prawns, squids and Sultan Ibrahim are in demand and so are milkfish among expatriates from India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Philippines and Brunei. The monsoon conditions affect the fisheries sector during summer in Salalah when fish prices soar.


Lakshmi Kothaneth


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