Wednesday 11 / February / 2026
Muscat: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources will begin conducting the Fisheries Resources Survey Project in the Arabian Sea and Sea of Oman this Friday, under a cooperation agreement signed with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This initiative forms part of the Sultanate of Oman’s efforts to enhance the sustainability of its marine resources and support the food security system in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
The project aims to support sustainable fisheries management by providing accurate and up-to-date scientific data on fish biomass, estimating stock sizes of target species, and determining their distribution and abundance in Omani waters.
This will enable the development of evidence-based policies and plans that ensure optimal utilization of marine resources and their protection from depletion.
The project includes the implementation of integrated field survey programmes covering biological studies, fish stock assessment, marine environmental studies and oceanography, in addition to the evaluation of marine fishing techniques and equipment.
It will also involve the collection and analysis of multiple environmental data points, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, chlorophyll, and other biological indicators affecting marine ecosystems.
The project is expected to contribute to the establishment of an integrated national database for fish stock assessment, support the formulation of strategic fisheries management policies and plans, in addition to protecting marine biodiversity and opening new investment horizons in the fisheries sector.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources calls upon fishermen and seafarers to cooperate with the work teams and the research vessel tasked with carrying out the survey operations, and to refrain from approaching or hindering their missions. -ONA
