Muscat, The total quantity of fish landed in the Sultanate reached 302,541

tons by the end of October 2018 compared to 250,338 tons during the same period of

2017, which is a rise of 20.9%, according to statistics released by the National Centre for

Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Traditional fishing practices in the Sultanate contributed to 299,685 tons of fish landings

till the end of October 2018, constituting an increase of 20.9% over 247,818 tons in 2017.

The total value of the fish stock was RO213,126 million in 2018, representing a growth of

15.9% over RO183,963 million in 2017.

The Governorate of Al Wusta had the highest fish landing at 95,628 tons, followed by the

Governorate of South A’Sharqiya at 73,694 tons, and the Governorates of North and South

Al Batinah at 43,813 tons. The quantity of fish landed in the Governorate of Dhofar was

39,806 tons, and the quantity in Muscat was 21,321 tons. The landed quantity in

Governorate of Musandam stood at 25,422 tons.

According to fish landing by species, the largest quantity of fish landed by the end of

October 2018 comprised small pelagic fishes at 130,523 tons, compared to 106,087 tons

at the end of October 2017, an increase of 23%.

The quantity of large pelagic fish increased by 13.8% to reach 75,567 tons by the end of

October compared to 66,429 tons by the end of October 2017. The quantity of demersal

fish landed reached 68,924 tons, an increase of 27.5% over the end of 2017 when it was

54,046 tons. Meanwhile, there was a decline in the quantity of sharks and rays, lobster, and

shrimp by 7.7%, 10.6%, and 24.8%, respectively and About 8,728 tons of crustaceans and

molluscs landing were reported during this period.

Coastal fishing and commercial fishing contributed to about 2,493 tons and 364 tons of

total fish landings, respectively, by the end of October 2018.

Source: Oman News Agency