Oman Aquarium to get first fish from Saham

Muscat: Fish collected off the coast of Saham will be the first in the soon-to-opened Oman Aquarium. Fish cages were left out for over a week by the aquarium and later retrieved in collaboration with local fishermen.
In celebration of World Oceans Day, the healthiest fish captured have been selected for display in the aquarium by Head Curator Nick Derbyshire and General Manager Adrian Tolliday.
The fish were then carefully returned to harbour and transported in oxygen-enriched, temperature-controlled water tanks for the trip back to Muscat. They will be placed in the Oman Aquarium’s quarantine facility until their eventual release into its tanks.
Milestone
Tolliday said, “World Oceans Day is such an important global event in the conservation calendar, and at Oman Aquarium we are committed to celebrate oceans in everything that we do. Today is a critical milestone in the development of the Oman Aquarium, as we embark on a journey to collect animals for our aquarium, with our first collection trip.”
World Oceans Day has been promoted and coordinated globally since 2002 by The Ocean Project, the organisation that advances conservation in partnership with aquariums, zoos, museums, youth, and other participants worldwide.
“Every animal in our facility is an ambassador for ocean life. We hope that through our education, conservation and research initiatives we can showcase these wonderful creatures to our guests, and highlight some of the pressures faced by them, in the hope we can all do a little bit more towards saving our oceans,” said Tolliday
The aquarium is being developed by Al Jarwani Group, whose Chairman Mahmoud Al Jarwani was also on hand for the fish collection expedition.
He said, “I am proud to have personally participated in the first fishing trip alongside our aquarists and marine biologists in order to make sure that we catch and select the right fish to welcome to our aquarium without any harm done to any of these animals. These fish will have a warm welcome to their new home – Oman Aquarium.”
The Oman Aquarium is led by an expert team of marine biologists and curators, engineers, boat captains, and management staff.
Set to open in the fourth quarter of 2018, it will be the largest aquarium of its kind in the region and the first in the Sultanate.
The aquarium will be home to 30,000 marine animals – from small shrimps to large sharks. It will also provide a comprehensive educational platform for students of every level, while maintaining key partnerships with groups such as the Marine Biology department at Sultan Qaboos University.
While marine conservation, education, and research are central to Oman Aquarium’s mission, the venue will also provide an enriching entertainment experience for visitors of all ages and backgrounds, including families.