Ban on catching kingfish from Aug 15

The fish market in Muttrah is buzzing with activity as fishermen from as far as Masira have brought in their catch. Sulayem al Wohebi and Ahmed al Juma are in a hurry as they pack away a whole set of Shari fish to a customer.

Restaurants and hotels are quick to pick the best. “There is plenty of fish and prices are low too. That, again, varies every day,” said Ahmed.

Before Ramadan, the price of Tuna had gone up to RO25, but now it is only RO 10. Barracuda is priced at RO 7 and so is Kingfish. Milkfish is sold for RO 5, said a salesman.

Some of the catches are from Al Bustan, Al Fahal, Al Kheran and Seeb, said Moosa al Kindi, a trader.

Amid brisk negotiations, Dr Wessam Abdulsalam explained how to look for the best fish.“One needs to check whether the body is hard or soft. If the fish is hard, it means it is fresh. If it is soft, you do not want it.”

According to the latest report from National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), fish prices rose 18.35 per cent in July compared with the previous month.

Barracuda, Tuna, Siyyah, Koffer, Hammour, Shari, Kingfish and Sultan Ibrahim and Red Snapper are all in demand in Oman’s fish markets.

A typical evening will see fisher- men arriving in Al Khuwair from Ras al Hadd and other parts of Sur, Mahout and other coastal areas, with customers waiting for them.

Crabs, lobsters, prawns, squids and Sultan Ibrahim are in demand and so are milkfish among expatriates from India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Philippines and Brunei. The monsoon conditions affect the fisheries sector during summer in Salalah when fish prices soar.