35% increase in grouper production compared to marine fisheries production

The production of "farm shrimp" in Abu Dhabi decreased due to the decrease in the price of "imported"

Grouper is the main species in terms of production and contributed 46% of the total production of aquaculture farms.

From the source

The Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi confirmed the continued decline in the production of aquaculture farms, as the production from aquaculture in 2020 amounted to about 521 tons, which represents a slight decrease from production in 2019, after production from aquaculture reached its highest value in 2018 in total. 808 tons, as production from aquaculture was gradually increasing until 2019, then decreased by 35%.

She attributed the decline to the high cost of shrimp production in Abu Dhabi, and the inability to compete with imported low-priced shrimp in the market, despite the increase in production from aquaculture over the past seven years by 25%.

In detail, the authority reported, during the "Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020" statistics bulletin, that there are four licensed facilities for aquaculture, and the total production of these aquaculture farms in 2020 amounted to about 521 tons, with an estimated value of 20 million dirhams, noting that the farms The four are divided into two large farms, one of which produces Indian white shrimp in ponds near Abu Dhabi city, and the other produces grouper in a high-tech recycling system in Al Wathba. In Bani Yas and Al Faya, the aquaculture production was dominated by grouper and Indian white shrimp.

The authority indicated that the grouper fish was the main type in terms of production, as it contributed 46% of the total production (240 tons), and the Indian shrimp was the second largest contributor to production, with a yield of 180 tons, while the spearfish was the third largest contributor with a total production of 60 tons. followed by Nile tilapia, which acquired 21 tons, then Seabass fish, which acquired 20 tons, pointing out that the grouper contributed more than half of the total value of production in the farms, at an amount of 11.4 million dirhams, while the other species together accounted for nearly 8.6 million dirhams.

The chronology of the total value of aquaculture, from 2014 to 2020, showed an increase in the total value of aquaculture products in 2020, where the value increased by about two million dirhams compared to 2019, and attributed this increase in production to the increase in the value of grouper species, which rose from 220 tons in 2019 to 240 tons in 2020.

The chronology of the total value of aquaculture production indicated that the value of aquaculture products reached the highest value in 2017 (22 million dirhams), and its lowest value during 2014 and 2016 (12 million dirhams), while the value of the culture products increased significantly over the seven years. In the past, it increased by 60% in 2020 (eight million dirhams) compared to 2014.

The authority pointed out that the volume of grouper produced from aquaculture exceeded the volume of fisheries production by 35% (83 tons in 2020), due to the ban on gargoyle fishing, which led to a decrease in total fisheries landings compared to the production of aquaculture operations.

6 initiatives for fish farming

The Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi confirmed that the sustainable aquaculture policy for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi aims to promote and grow the aquaculture sector, and contribute to alleviating pressures on fish stocks. and appropriate locations, encouraging economic investment in the sector, developing legislation, policies and guidelines, encouraging innovation and scientific research in aquaculture, in addition to developing communication and marketing plans to attract investments to this sector.

The authority indicated that, since the policy was launched, it has worked on components that fall within its environmental obligations, and this included the development of a new licensing model for aquaculture, and a new risk-based inspection model, that meets the needs of all major entities.

It was also agreed to include the process of renewing the environmental license for aquaculture within the “Tamm” platform, in addition to implementing the hydrodynamic modeling project to support and develop the marine cage culture sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

• “Abu Dhabi Environment”: the production of aquaculture farms has witnessed an increase in production over the past seven years by 25%.

• 521 tons of aquaculture facilities production 2020.

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