Fisheries governance

Back to Services

Region:    Middle East

Fisheries and aquaculture sector development study Saudi Arabia

Agriculture Development Fund (KSA) - Project Dates:
February 2011 - December 2014

Description of Project:
The Saudi Government launched seven major initiatives for sustainable development of the Agricultural Sector The Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) is overseeing the development of each initiative and is providing recommendations on overall strategic direction. The aim of the Initiatives is to transform the current challenges in the agriculture sector into investment opportunities and promote sustainable development that results in growing income for farmers and help in stabilizing food security in the KSA. The Seventh Initiative, is about establishing an entity to undertake marketing and processing of aquaculture and fishery production as well as providing services to the Fishery and Aquaculture industry in KSA.

Services Provided:

Poseidon provided a multi-disciplinary team of fisheries and aquaculture specialists to prepare (i) a sector review and subsequently (ii) a comprehensive sector development plan.

The main tasks included:

  • Verification of strategic importance of setting up of sustainable fishery industry in KSA
  • Review of the comparative advantage of fishery industry
  • Review of suitability of this industry for the development of rural and remote coastal areas
  • Identification of its possible contribution in the recruitment of Saudi workforce of both sexes, and the extent of workforce which can be absorbed in the industry
  • Assess the carrying capacity of the coast of the Kingdom with regard to the establishment of aquaculture pojects, propose the maximum size of the aquaculture industry, identifying of targeted species to be commercially farmed, and the technologies to be used and services required
  • Assess the capacity of the fishing sector in the Kingdom, and to propose the size of the industry and services to be provided to the industry.
  • Assess the current status of the fisheries sector in Saudi Arabia and the performance of its components and associated services and the obstacles they face, particularly fishing and aquaculture, taking inventory of
    existing infrastructure, including feed mills, processing plants and laboratories
  • Assess the status of land and sites allocated for the industry and problems encountered in the grant of such sites for investors, and study the overlap between government agencies in this regard, and inventory of systems and authority of each of such government agencies
  • Assessment of the status quo with respect to services available to the industry, and make recommendations
    about the type and volume of services required
  • Review the efforts of the scientific research institutions with regards to the industry
  • Explore the existing training programs and make recommendations that would enhance what exists to build a
    base of skilled manpower and to provide appropriate training for entrepreneurs
  • Review of ways to take advantage of human resources available in coastal cities and villages, proposed proper training so such efforts may lead to better contribution to the fisheries industry by:
    Being recruited in projects related to fishery industry, taking advantage of women's human workforce.
    Development of cooperative societies and encourage entrepreneurs, especially fishermen, to enter into appropriate projects in the field of aquaculture
    Identify opportunities for small businesses that can be provided by the large projects for families in the surrounding villages that can contribute to the creation of additional income for those families.
  • Study the feasibility of setting up of cooperative projects for fish farming in the Kingdom and to identify requirements
  • Survey methods of handling conditions and methodology, and fish markets in the Kingdom and prepare proper classification for such markets
  • Preparation of a comprehensive marketing study that include a review of existing methods of marketing of Saudi seafood products locally, regionally and internationally, and to identify the consumption patterns of seafood in the Kingdom, and to propose ways to strengthen the marketing and promotion of Saudi Arabian seafood products and proposing means of limiting competition
  • Review of standard and specifications and the applicable laws in the Kingdom that is related to quality of seafood products in the Saudi markets, and compare them with what is in place in developed countries