The total value of fish caught by traditional fishing methods has increased by nearly 20 per cent since April 2013, while overall catch volumes have remained relatively unchanged over the same period.
The Total and value fish landed by species’ report issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) reveals that the total catch landed by traditional fishing methods by the end of April 2014 stood at 69,284 tonnes, versus 69,236 tonnes landed during the same period in 2013, registering a modest increase of 0.1 per cent.
While the catch volumes have remained relatively unchanged, the total catch value by traditional fishing methods increased by a healthy 19.8%, totaling RO 61.6 million by the end of April 2014, compared with RO 51.4 million recorded during the same period in 2013.
According to the NCSI figures, the overall fisheries catch volume by all methods remained stable during the same period, with 70,921 tonnes landed by the end of April 2014 versus 70,904 tonnes landed by the end of April 2013.
The total catch volume landed by commercial fishing recorded an increase of 33.2 per cent during the same period, growing from 274 tonnes landed by the end of April 2013 to 365 tonnes by the end of April 2014.
Meanwhile, the catch volume in coastal fishing declined by 8.8 per cent, with 1,272 tonnes landed by the end of April 2014 compared with 1,394 tonnes landed during the same period in 2013.
Breaking down the catch volumes by region, Al Sharqiya North and South governorates were ranked the first in terms of traditional fishing volumes by the end of April 2014 with 18,907 tonnes landed compared with 20,337 tonnes during the same period in 2013, despite a decline of 7 per cent. Following was Al-Wusta with 18,554 tonnes landed, compared with 17,538 tons landed during the same period in 2013, recording an increase of 5.8 per cent. The Dhofar governorate was the third with 12,119 tons landed by the end of April 2014 compared with 10,820 tonnes during the same period in 2013, an increase of 12 per cent.
Meanwhile, the governorate with the lowest catch volume by the end of April 2014 was the Muscat governorate with 3,852 tonnes by the end of April 2014, compared with 4,604 tons reflecting a fall of 16.3 per cent.
Regarding the fish landed by traditional fishery by species in 2013, the report revealed that demersal fish increased by 4.5 per cent during the January-April 2014 period to 20,382 tonnes landed, compared with 19,497 tonnes landed during the same period in 2013. Large pelagic fish recorded a decline of 6.9 per cent with 18,058 tonnes landed by the end of April 2014, compared with 19,406 tons landed during the same period in 2013. Meanwhile, small pelagic fish increased marginally by 1.4 per cent from 26,511 tons landed by the end of April 2013 to 26,871 tons landed by the end of April 2014. The amount of sharks and rays landed by the end of April 2014 stood at 2,641 tons compared with 2,472 tonnes, representing an increase of 6.8 per cent. The overall volume of landed crustaceans increased by 35.2 per cent, going from 216 tonnes landed by the end of April 2013 to 292 tonnes landed by the end of April 2014. Molluscs also increased by 9.5 per cent with 610 tonnes landed by the end of April 2014, compared with 557 tonnes landed during the same period in 2013. Other unidentified fishes declined by 25.6 per cent with 430 tonnes landed during the same period, compared with 578 tonnes landed by the end of April 2013.
Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA)