Muscat – Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) has launched a campaign to curb unlicensed kingfish fishing. This is part of efforts to preserve the kingfish population and promote sustainable fishing practices.

In a statement, the ministry said a fish control team of the Directorate General of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in Al Wusta intercepted a truck in the coastal area of Hitam in the wilayat of Duqm. The truck was carrying 500kg of kingfish which was caught during a period when fishing this species is banned.

A two-month ban on catching and trading in kingfish has been in place since August 15. MAFWR has urged all fishermen, transporters and businesses engaged in the fisheries sector to comply. Additionally, it has called on businesses to register their existing kingfish stocks before the ban began.