Riyadh: The Board of Directors of the National Fisheries Development Program (NFDP) held its seventh meeting chaired by HE the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen A. AlFadley.
During the meeting, the Board reviewed recent updates on the development plans of the fisheries sector in the Kingdom, the export of fish to international markets, and several ongoing projects and initiatives.
The Director General of the Department of Fisheries, Dr. Ali Al-Sheikhi, said that the NFDP is continuing its efforts to carry out strategic initiatives and projects aim to realize the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030, including initiatives to develop the fishing sector, applied research in the field of aquaculture, and promote fish consumption in Saudi Arabia. In addition to the implementation of the first phase of the Sayad (fisherman) project, which intends to train young Saudis to master the trade, empower Saudi fishermen, and to protect and develop live aquatic resources and to educate fishermen to preserve them.
Al-Sheikhi also said that the NFDP supports exporting and opening up Russian markets for locally farmed fish, and has liaised with the Russian side to have the Saudi companies producing shrimp and caviar entered into the Russian market, pointing out the number of the Saudi companies obtaining the Best Aquaculture Practices certification is expected to rise from 8 to 12 in December.
The National Fisheries Development Program was approved by the Council of Ministers pursuant to Resolution No. (514), and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture shall undertake administration of it in coordination with the relevant authorities. The program represents a comprehensive national strategy for the development of the fisheries sector, and it aims at enhancing its economic and developmental role, as well as optimizing the natural resources and sustainably raising the production.