Aquaculture projects in the Sultanate of Oman, owned and operated predominantly by subsidiaries of the Fisheries Development Oman (FDO) – part of Oman Investment Authority (OIA) – generated over 5,000 tonnes of farmed fisheries and seafood products during 2023, according to a key FDO executive.

Sultana al Jardani, Business Intelligence Lead at FDO, said in an interview featured in Enjaz & Eajaz, the quarterly newsletter of Oman Investment Authority, that the aquaculture sector – a key component of Oman’s food security strategy – is poised for strong growth going forward.

“Oman’s turn toward aquaculture reflects a long-term strategic view that aims to achieve environmental sustainability, provide food security, and diversify the economy,” Al Jardani stated. “Capitalizing on technological innovations and continuing improvements will allow Oman to become the region’s aquaculture pioneer. It will ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for marine resources by adopting a sustainable approach based on transferring technologies and building capabilities.”

According to the executive, investments in the sector amounted to around RO 33 million in 2023. “Several active ongoing projects in partnership with the private sector are expected to be a fantastic addition to governance efforts in the aquaculture field,” she added.

FDO, the fisheries investment and development arm of OIA, is the single biggest investor in Oman’s aquaculture sector. Two of its subsidiaries, National Shrimp Aquaculture Co and Oriental Shrimp Aquaculture Co, currently operate shrimp farms in key locations around the country.

According to the 2023 Annual Report of OIA, farmed shrimp harvests by FDO subsidiaries more than doubled to 2,673 tonnes in 2023, up from 1,076 tonnes a year earlier. European sea bream fish production dipped to 1,867 tonnes, down from 2,101 tonnes a year earlier.

Significantly, shrimp production is poised to grow exponentially as operations at a number of aquaculture projects pick up pace. Last year, FDO owned Oriental Shrimp Aquaculture brought its modern shrimp farm project into operation at Khuwaimah in Jalan Bani Bu Ali. Spread over an area of 200 hectares, the facility has a production capacity of 3500 tonnes of shrimp per year.

Earlier, National Shrimp Aquaculture launched FDO’s first shrimp farm at Qurun in Jalan Bani Bu Hassan Wilayat. Set on an area of 500 hectares, it has a capacity of 4,600 tonnes per year. Also in 2023, National Shrimp launched a hatchery in Barka in South Al Batinah Governorate, to serve as an incubator for shrimp seed cultivation as well as a test-bed for future shrimp farm projects.

Additionally, FDO is finalizing the design of its flagship shrimp farming project, planned at Al Jazer on the Al Wusta coast. It will boast a world-scale capacity of 20,000 tonnes of shrimp per annum.