An Omani fisherman found frogfish, a rarity in the country’s waters, while fishing in the sea at a depth of 30 metres off As Seeb coast.
An official of the Centre for Marine Sciences and Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said that the frogfish (anglerfish) was hunted by fisherman Ibrahim bin Mohammad Al Yahyai in Oman sea.
He caught the fish while fishing at a depth of 30 metres using fish catching equipment called “jarajeer” by local fishermen.
An official of the centre told the Times of Oman that another type of frogfish was found in Omani waters earlier.
The fish, which was found this time, belongs to a group scientifically called “Antennariidae” or “Antennarius Indicus.”
In English, it is commonly known as “Indian Frogfish.”
This is one of the six types of frogfish found among the coral reefs. They are about 23 centimetres long. They are found in the Indian Ocean, the coastal areas from east Africa, Gulf of Aden, Seychelles islands to the south eastern coastal areas of India, Sri Lanka and Oman Sea.
According to the ministry officials, these frogfish play an important role in the environmental ecosystem, and therefore, it was important to protect it from extinction.
2014 Muscat Press & Publishing House SAOC