Muscat – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources has opened a fishermen’s village in Masirah Island, South Sharqiyah.

A ministry official said that the project, financed by the Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund, will empower Omani fisherman, develop the fisheries sector and enhance economic diversification programmes in the sultanate.

Hamad Rashid al Buraiki, Director General of Agricultural, Fisheries and Water Resources in South Sharqiyah Governorate, said, “The village was set up on an area of 34,000sqm at a cost of RO140,000.”

The project will provide a number of direct and indirect job opportunities in allied activities such as fish transport, fishing equipment and storage, boat repair and maintenance workshops for boats and engines.

‘The project will also facilitate the collection of statistical data on the quantity of fish caught and help in communicating directly with fishermen by virtue of their presence in one place. All services are available in the village, including a mosque, fuel station, ice-making unit, fish market and a pier,’ the ministry stated.

According to Buraiki, fish production tripled from 280,000 tonnes in 2016 to 922,000 tonnes in 2021, with an annual growth rate of 27 per cent, in South Sharqiyah. The value of the fish catch also doubled from RO204mn in 2016 to RO432mn in 2021.