Oman’s traditional fish catch grew 8.4 per cent in 2015

Muscat: Oman’s fish catch by traditional fishery registered a rise of 8.4 per cent in 2015 compared to 2014 figures. As much as 225,297 tonnes of fish landings were recorded last year, while the previous year’s quantity stood at 207,775 tonnes, according to the recent data published by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).
Total value of fish landings on the other hand increased 15.1 per cent to OMR185.16 million by the end of 2015, from OMR60.94 million in the previous year.
Meanwhile, total fish landings using traditional, commercial and coastal fishing increased 8.8 per cent to 229,626 tonnes last year from 210,984 tonnes in 2014. Coastal fishery registered a growth of 40.5 per cent over the period to 3,679 tonnes while commercial fishery witnessed a 10.1 per cent to 650 tonnes.
According to the report of the traditional fishery figures, it says that the Governorates of North and South Al Sharqiyah recorded the largest catch at 56,636 tonnes, marking a rise of 6.8 per cent as against 53,034 tonnes in 2014.
The Governorate of Al Wusta followed with fish landings of 52,599 tonnes, comprising a 6.5 per cent growth over 49,376 tonnes in the previous year. Landed fish in the Governorates of North and South Al Batinah logged a rise of 9.8 per cent, reaching 42,567 tonnes last year compared to 38,762 tonnes in 2014.
Fish landings at the Governorate of Muscat posted a growth of 7 per cent from 2014 figure of 17,374 tonnes to reach 18,597 tonnes last year. The Governorate of Dhofar recorded the highest growth rate in fish landings at 19.7 per cent, taking the catch to 35,775 tonnes from 29,891 tonnes earlier. However, the Governorate of Musandam saw figures slumping by 1.1 per cent to 19,124 tonnes from 19,338 tonnes in 2014.
Small Pelagic fish formed the largest share of the traditional fish landings at 87,573 tonnes, but the quantity suffered a 2 per cent drop from 2014 catch of 89,377 tonnes.
Large Pelagic landings were the second highest at 67,115 tonnes posting a 39.4 per cent year-on-year growth. Demersal fish landings, the third highest catch, grew 1.4 per cent to 53,389 tonnes during the period.
Benthic fish landings by traditional fishery stood at 53,389 tonnes, comprising a rise by 1.4 per cent, compared to 52,647 tonnes in 2014. Sharks posted 27 per cent, reaching 9,391 tonnes as against 7,394 per cent in 2014.
Meanwhile, crustaceans and clams landings saw a whopping 830 tonnes of shrimps, 474 tonnes of lobster and 5 tonnes of squid while no Abalone landing yet because its fishing season did not start yet. Fish landings by coastal fishing stood at 3,679 tonnes while landings through commercial fishing stood at 650 tonnes.