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Fish production fell 21.9% in 2022

26 Mar 2023 By OUR CORRESPONDENT

Muscat – Oman’s fish production in 2022 fell 21.9 per cent to 718,726 tonnes, compared to 920,241 tonnes in 2021, according to the latest data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information.

Although production went down, the value of catch increased marginally to RO423.568mn in 2022, compared to RO420.927mn in 2021.

According to the data, Al Wusta topped the list of governorates in the amount of fish landed by artisanal fishing, with production reaching 245,895 tonnes. South Sharqiyah was second with production of 206,558 tonnes, followed by North Batinah and South Batinah in third (71,639 tonnes), Dhofar (68,968 tonnes), Musandam (36,862 tonnes) and Muscat (34,967 tonnes).

Both offshore and coastal fishing recorded growth – 6.9 per cent and 5.62 per cent respectively. Small pelagic fish constituted the largest proportion of the total catch of artisanal fishing in 2022, with production reaching 348,385 tonnes.

The total production from aquaculture farms in 2022 was 3,469 tonnes valued at RO7.33mn.

Aquaculture currently constitutes 5-7 per cent of total fish production and is set to grow, according to Dr Issa Mohammed al Farsi, Director of Fisheries Development Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.

Farsi informed that aquaculture production of sea bream (coffer fish) stood at 2,101 tonnes in 2022, followed by white-legged shrimp (1,078 tonnes) and tilapia (290 tonnes).

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