Oman’s 1,700-km coastline is home to over 150 species of fish and crustaceans, many of which are part of the local diet. As of 2008, there were over 37,500 registered fishermen in Oman whose livelihood depended on catching the riches from the sea. Though the sea may be rich, most of the fishermen are not.
While many industries have developed immensely since 1970, the fisheries have lagged behind, and most fishermen survive at subsistence levels, earning on average just RO200 a month.
In Batinah the fishermen’s incomes are particularly low. Now researchers from Sohar University and Sultan Qaboos University are identifying the training needs of the fishermen in hopes of improving their livelihoods.
“We found that none of the fishermen are doing well. I wanted to analyse their lives, their plight and how they are managing,- said Dr Rakesh Belwal, Associate Professor of Business at
Sohar University.
The researchers interviewed 1,994 fishermen all along the Batinah coast, as well as officials at Oman Development Bank, and people at training institutes. They discovered that little is being done to improve the skills and business savvy of the fishermen, who continue to fish in traditional ways.
“There haven’t been any big or dramatic changes in the way of fishing or handling the fish haul. It’s the same since 1970. The boats are the same. The nets are the same,- said Dr. Omar Al Jabri, from SQU’s Department of Natural Resource Economics.
The research focused on Al Batinah, but the results can be applied throughout Oman. Statistically, however, the fishermen in Al Batinah earn less than those in other areas of Oman. According to Belwal’s research, 35 percent of Oman’s fishermen live in Al Batinah, but they catch only 16 percent of the national total of fish, resulting in lower incomes.
“One of the officials told us that if the fishermen worked regular hours, they could earn more than us,- Belwal said.
The problem is that many fishermen don’t work every day and don’t work long hours. Belwal said it’s important to teach the fishermen how to better manage their time as well as giving them new fishing and business skills.
While fishing trawlers are only permitted at a distance from Oman’s shores, the traditional small boats that Omani fishermen use can only hold limited number of fish. Belwal said fishermen need to learn more about returning small fish to the sea, too, to let them grow. More fishermen could also benefit from using modern technology like GPS systems which can forecast the weather. The fisherman can catch more fish, but they aren’t using the most efficient techniques, said Belwal.
The conditions of local fish markets need to be improved, too. This will encourage more people to shop at them and support the fishermen directly, rather than going to supermarkets, Al Jabri said.
In recent years the government has made some improvements, such as introducing artificial reefs in some places to attract fish, and updating the fish market in Mutrah, but still more needs to be done, the researchers said. With more education about business, for example, the fishermen will be able to earn more money from their fish, said Al Jabri.
2012 Muscat Press & Publishing House SAOC