The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources signed a contract on Tuesday for the implementation of a major finfish farming project off Wilayat Al Seeb in Muscat Governorate. Total investment in the facility, covering an area of 1.5 million sq metres, is around RO 30 million.

Construction on the project, which includes the installation of a number of floating cages, will start this year. Only premium fish species are targeted for cultivation in this project.

In the first phase, production is estimated at 3,000 tonnes per annum. Fingerlings will be bred within the floating case system.

An onshore facility, set on an area of 7,500 sq metres, will included a fish packaging and canning plant, feed store, equipment warehouse and other support infrastructure.