76 tonnes of Abalone bagged in 10 days
SaLALAH: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MoAFWR) said that the outcome of its Fisheries Research Centre's 2024 Survey showed a good improvement in abalone catch, both in terms of sizes and abundance.
The survey indicated that average abalone catch in 10 days during 2024 stood at more than 76 tonnes, compared to 149 tonnes in 30 fishing days during the 2011 season.
The number of licenses issued in 2024 stood at 2,369 compared to 4,418 licenses in 2011.
Eng Musallam bin Salim Raafait, Assistant Director General of Fisheries in Dhofar Governorate, said that the Wilayat of Sadah achieved the highest level of abalone catch (93.5 per cent, followed by the Wilayat of Mirbat (6.5 per cent).
Eng Musallam added that the importance of Omani abalone lies in its social and economic value, noting that abalone constitutes a source of income for the local community. Abalone is also exported to international markets to further enhance the income of individuals working in the sector, he added.
He pointed out that the average price of one kilogramme of Omani abalone is about RO 45 in the local market. He added that the price of one kilogramme of abalone in the global market in 2019 stood at about RO 200.
Omani "abalone" is a factor in supporting the tourism sector, attracting visitors and motivating commercial activity.
Drones were used for the first time in monitoring abalone fisheries, providing guidance coverage and implementing digital transition in receiving and issuing license applications as a first stage in the 2024 season. — ONA
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