Jeddah, August 03, 2024, General Director of National Center of Fisheries Riyadh Al-Fageeh stated that the fish-farming sector in Saudi Arabia plays a crucial role in achieving national food security and providing a safe and healthy food source for citizens and residents.
The sector also contributes to the GDP, Al Fageeh said, highlighting the unprecedented growth of investment opportunities in the sector, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Al-Fageeh stated that the establishment of the National Center of Fisheries is linked to the beginnings of fish farming in the Kingdom four decades ago. He added that this step came as a result of recommendations from international bodies presented to the Kingdom in a study on its fish wealth.
“This marked the start of steps for cooperation with these international bodies to establish the Fish Farming Center in 1982 in Jeddah,” he said.
Al-Fageeh added that the establishment of the center took place under the Unilateral Trust Fund Agreement concluded between the Saudi government, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture at the time, and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The National Center of Fisheries has undertaken several pioneering projects in collaboration with various universities and relevant entities, including the project of using seawater and renewable energy in modern agriculture.
The center has supported the aquaculture sector with over 3 million saltwater tilapia larvae, and it has issued more than 80 licenses for aquaculture projects in Makkah, including 18 projects in the first half of 2024.