Muscat’s fisheries sector is expanding on the back of higher licence activity, upgraded coastal facilities and stronger support for small-scale fishermen, as officials in the governorate seek to turn a traditional livelihood into a more productive pillar of food security and economic diversification. Figures released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources show that 9,605 fishing licences were issued or renewed in Muscat governorate during 2025, a sign of continued participation in the industry despite mounting pressure on marine resources across the wider region.
Officials say the growth is being supported not only by public spending on infrastructure but also by a more localised approach to managing the coast. Maritime Traditions Committees operating across Bausher, Muttrah, Muscat, Quriyat and Seeb have been used to organise fishing activity, relay fishermen’s concerns to authorities and settle disputes in line with long-established maritime practice. During 2025, those committees held 15 meetings that examined development schemes, investment opportunities and practical obstacles facing fishing communities.
Those meetings focused on projects with direct implications for the trade, including the Haramel fishing port project, the organisation of Seeb Fish Market and fish landing facilities in Fins and Dhabab in Quriyat. The emphasis on landing points and markets matters because value in the fisheries chain is shaped not only by what is caught at sea but also by how quickly fish can be landed, handled, transported and sold. Better infrastructure reduces spoilage, improves price discovery and can widen access to wholesale and retail channels for artisanal fishermen, who still form the backbone of the sector in Oman.
Targeted support for fishermen has also been part of the policy mix. Between 2021 and 2025, 157 fishermen in Muscat governorate received financial and technical assistance, with support covering as much as 80% of the cost of key equipment such as boats, engines, navigation devices and safety gear. That kind of support lowers the barrier to entry for younger workers and can help existing operators modernise fleets that might otherwise struggle with rising input costs. It also points to a broader official effort to preserve employment in coastal communities while trying to improve standards and compliance.
Muscat’s progress sits within a wider national drive to raise the fisheries sector’s economic weight. Ministry-linked reports in 2025 said Oman’s fisheries sector grew by 7.5% in the first three quarters of 2024, while sector output in the third quarter alone rose 9.5% at current prices. For the first nine months of 2024, fisheries contributed about RO294 million to gross domestic product, underlining the sector’s place in the non-oil economy even as hydrocarbons remain dominant. Separate official figures show agriculture, forestry and fisheries together accounted for RO1.07 billion in value added by the end of 2024.
Aquaculture is adding another layer to that story. Official data released in March showed Oman’s aquaculture production climbed to about 9,240 tonnes in 2025, up 67.7% from 2024, with output value exceeding RO20.3 million. For Muscat, where officials have highlighted floating cage fish farms and hatchery projects, the growth of farmed fish offers a route to steadier supply and less reliance on the variability of open-water catches. It also aligns with Oman’s long-term Vision 2040 agenda, which aims to broaden the economy, strengthen food resilience and attract more private investment into productive sectors.
Yet the expansion story carries clear constraints. Academic research published in 2025 warned that fisheries across the Arabian Peninsula face overfishing, habitat degradation and climate-related disruption, and said Oman still lacks a fully climate-resilient framework for some pelagic fisheries. The study also noted that warming seas and ecological shifts can alter the distribution of commercially important species, complicating stock management and long-term planning. That means licence growth and infrastructure spending, while important, will not by themselves guarantee sustainability unless paired with stricter stock assessment, adaptive regulation and careful enforcement.
Officials say the growth is being supported not only by public spending on infrastructure but also by a more localised approach to managing the coast. Maritime Traditions Committees operating across Bausher, Muttrah, Muscat, Quriyat and Seeb have been used to organise fishing activity, relay fishermen’s concerns to authorities and settle disputes in line with long-established maritime practice. During 2025, those committees held 15 meetings that examined development schemes, investment opportunities and practical obstacles facing fishing communities.
Those meetings focused on projects with direct implications for the trade, including the Haramel fishing port project, the organisation of Seeb Fish Market and fish landing facilities in Fins and Dhabab in Quriyat. The emphasis on landing points and markets matters because value in the fisheries chain is shaped not only by what is caught at sea but also by how quickly fish can be landed, handled, transported and sold. Better infrastructure reduces spoilage, improves price discovery and can widen access to wholesale and retail channels for artisanal fishermen, who still form the backbone of the sector in Oman.
Targeted support for fishermen has also been part of the policy mix. Between 2021 and 2025, 157 fishermen in Muscat governorate received financial and technical assistance, with support covering as much as 80% of the cost of key equipment such as boats, engines, navigation devices and safety gear. That kind of support lowers the barrier to entry for younger workers and can help existing operators modernise fleets that might otherwise struggle with rising input costs. It also points to a broader official effort to preserve employment in coastal communities while trying to improve standards and compliance.
Muscat’s progress sits within a wider national drive to raise the fisheries sector’s economic weight. Ministry-linked reports in 2025 said Oman’s fisheries sector grew by 7.5% in the first three quarters of 2024, while sector output in the third quarter alone rose 9.5% at current prices. For the first nine months of 2024, fisheries contributed about RO294 million to gross domestic product, underlining the sector’s place in the non-oil economy even as hydrocarbons remain dominant. Separate official figures show agriculture, forestry and fisheries together accounted for RO1.07 billion in value added by the end of 2024.
Aquaculture is adding another layer to that story. Official data released in March showed Oman’s aquaculture production climbed to about 9,240 tonnes in 2025, up 67.7% from 2024, with output value exceeding RO20.3 million. For Muscat, where officials have highlighted floating cage fish farms and hatchery projects, the growth of farmed fish offers a route to steadier supply and less reliance on the variability of open-water catches. It also aligns with Oman’s long-term Vision 2040 agenda, which aims to broaden the economy, strengthen food resilience and attract more private investment into productive sectors.
Yet the expansion story carries clear constraints. Academic research published in 2025 warned that fisheries across the Arabian Peninsula face overfishing, habitat degradation and climate-related disruption, and said Oman still lacks a fully climate-resilient framework for some pelagic fisheries. The study also noted that warming seas and ecological shifts can alter the distribution of commercially important species, complicating stock management and long-term planning. That means licence growth and infrastructure spending, while important, will not by themselves guarantee sustainability unless paired with stricter stock assessment, adaptive regulation and careful enforcement.
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Oman