Muscat: The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said the dead shrimps found on the beaches of Rakhiot in Dhofar are due to natural factors and warned local residents against their consumption.
The ministry said that the shrimp variety has been identified as Sergestes semissis, generally found in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea in the depths up to 200 metres.
The ministry said this incident is not related to any kind of marine pollution. Shrimp swarms are likely to be exposed to strong deep currents accompanied by a sudden change in sea temperatures that have led them to drift away from their normal course of existence.
"Less than 12 degrees Celsius or as a result of exposure to viral or bacterial spread at sea and both cases have already been detected in different parts of the world, " the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry warned against human consumption of the dead shrimps, but added that it can be used as feed for cattle.
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