Page 39 - FULL YEAR BOOK 2021

Oman

fishing fleets, cold chain logistics and Oman Fisheries and mainly focus on the Shrimp and FinFish
infrastructure, state-of-the-art wholesale development in the region. The country is
auction platforms, retail souks, and the expected to produce 200,000 metric tons
growth of overseas markets for fresh Aquaculture Market - of fish between 2030 and 2040. Oman has
Omani fish. resource biodiversity along more than
According to newly published Growth, Trends, and 3000km coastline and has the strategic
advantage of being close with the major
figures issued by the National Centre export regions that are Politically stable
fisheries production has increased year- Forecast (2020 - 2025) and orderly civil society.
for Statistics and Information (NCSI),
on-year over the past five years. It soared Oman is one of the largest fish
to 553,445 tons in 2018, up from 347,541 producers in the GCC region and a Regulated
tons a year earlier.
net exporter of fish and fish products, Aquaculture Market
Contributing the dominant share fisheries, and aquaculture sector is
of landings were artisanal fisheries – the most important and oldest sector Pushes the Growth
traditional fishermen deploying small in Oman registering a CAGR of 5.2%
low-tech boats fitted with outboard growth during the forecast period. of the Sector
motors – with 555,210 tons, accounting According to Oman Aquaculture
for 95 percent of the total catch in 2019. Development Company (OADC), under
Coastal fisheries dependent on modern its national food security program, plans The Ministry of Agriculture and
fishing boats pitched in with around to double production from about 200,000 Fisheries has revealed its plan of
4,000 tons last year. tons in 2016 to 480,000 tons in 2020. The investing USD 1.30 billion in fisheries
Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries development, from 2013 to 2020, to
is focusing on increasing aquaculture help promote sustainable fishing and
production to 220,000 metric tons, with a provide the necessary infrastructure to
value of USD 883 million by 2030. Oman’s increase fisheries production in Oman.
environmental advantage provides a Aquaculture is a part of the plan as a
high potential for the development solution to mitigate the declining wild
of aquaculture and there is a strong fisheries stocks and their effect on the
commitment from the government to livelihood of fishermen. Also, by 2030
develop this sector in a competitive and to 2040 the government of Oman has
sustainable manner in harmony with the anticipated that aquaculture is expected
social, economic, cultural, and historic to contribute USD 5.20 billion to the GDP,
But emerging as a distinctive player in values of the country.
commercial fisheries, which contributed producing as much as 220,000 metric
just over 20,000 tons last year, up from a tons, with an estimated market value of
mere 413 tons in 2018. Aquaculture, a Key Market Trends USD 900.0 million. In Oman, the capture
fledging new segment of the fisheries production dominates the production
industry, has seen its share more than system, which comes mainly from marine
double to 1,054 tons last year, up from Increasing Fish waters and provides nearly 99.9% of the
451 tons in 2018, bolstered by sizable total fish landing. The World Bank Group
investments in the sector. Capture In The has supported the fisheries sector in the
Sultanate of Oman with a wide range
Significantly, sardine landings of policies and technical advice, given
amounted to over 275,000 tons in 2019, Region uniquely for the Bank to the fisheries
accounting for nearly half of Oman’s total sector through a Reimbursable Advisory
catch last year, while also driving new Service or RAS from 2016.
investments in canning, fish oil and fish Oman’s Ministry of Agriculture
meal projects. Other small pelagics of and Fisheries is making large-scale
note were Indian Mackerel (11,300 tons) investments valued at USD 1.0 billion
and anchovy (17,482 tons). across 15,000 hectares of land for the
development of the aquaculture sector.
Dominating landings among the large According to FAO, The fish capture in
pelagics were Yellowfin tuna (37,000 2018 accounted for 44,207 tonnes up
tons), Longtail tuna (14,700 tons), from 26,677 tonnes in 2016, significantly
Kingfish (2,100 tons), and Barracuda explicating the increased capture to meet
(10,900 tons). Landings of key demersal the increased demand in the domestic as
species included Emperor fish (17,040 well as international market. Ministry of
tons), Ribbonfish (15,200 tons), and Agriculture & Fisheries Wealth (MAFW),
Seabream (8,600 tons). More than 5,000 in partnership with Oman’s Sovereign
tons of shark species were also caught Wealth Fund, Oman Investment Fund
last year. (OIF), formed the Oman Aquaculture
Development Company (OADC) in 2016
Around 200,000 tons of fish were
exported last year, earning revenues with the main objective of Commercially
investing & developing Oman’s fish
totalling RO 84.5 million for the country, aquaculture sector. The OADC has 2
according to NCSI figures. subsidiaries namely the Oceanic Shrimp
Aquaculture and the Blue Water which
Arab Agriculture 2021 37

White Section 1-48.indd 37 4/20/21 2:51 PM