Sunday 09 / August / 2026
Muscat: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources will begin implementing a ban on catching, possessing, and trading kingfish across all coasts of the Sultanate of Oman from 15 August lasting until 15 October 2026.
This comes within regulatory measures aimed at protecting kingfish stocks and ensuring the sustainability of its fisheries, in accordance with the provisions of Article (178) of the Executive Regulations of the Living Aquatic Resources Law issued by Ministerial Decision No. (70/2026).
The decision gains economic significance considering the status kingfish holds in the Omani fisheries sector. Indicators for 2025 show that the Sultanate of Oman's total kingfish production reached approximately 19,743 tonnes, with a total production value of OMR44.422 million, and an average value of RO 2.25 per kilogram.
A large percentage of kingfish production is concentrated in Al Wusta and South A’Sharqiyah Governorates, which together accounted for about 83.5 percent of total production during 2025. Production in Al Wusta Governorate reached 8,241 tonnes, representing 41.74 percent, while production in South A’Sharqiyah Governorate reached 8,239 tonnes, representing 41.73 percent, whereas the remaining coastal governorates contributed about 3,264 tonnes, or 16.53 percent of total production.
Kingfish is considered one of the most important large pelagic fish species in the Sultanate of Oman, due to its quality and high demand in local and regional markets. This gives it economic and nutritional importance beyond its value as a catch product, serving as a resource tied to fishermen's income and the movement of trading and commerce in the fisheries sector.
The ban period comes as part of a package of measures implemented by the Ministry to maintain the sustainability of kingfish stocks, including regulating fishing seasons, protecting stocks during breeding periods to enhance their natural replenishment capacity, strengthening control and compliance with regulations and bylaws governing fishing activities, and raising fishermen's awareness of the importance of preserving this resource.
Fishermen, fish transporters, companies, and establishments involved in catching, transporting, purchasing, selling, trading, and exporting kingfish are required to refrain from catching, possessing, transporting, purchasing, selling, storing, freezing, trading, or exporting kingfish throughout the ban period. The Ministry also obligated individuals and companies holding quantities of kingfish to register them with the competent authority in accordance with the procedures and controls specified in the executive regulations.
The regulation of the kingfish fishing season reflects a direction toward managing fisheries resources on the basis of sustainability, balancing current economic activity with preserving the fish stock's capacity to replenish, and promoting the continuity of the resource for future generations, particularly given the production value represented by kingfish within the fisheries economy system in the Sultanate of Oman.
The Ministry emphasizes that the commitment of all parties to the ban period constitutes an essential element in protecting fish stocks and ensuring the sustainability of kingfish fisheries, as well as avoiding legal procedures resulting against violators.
---Ends/AG
