Science Centres: Fisheries

 

Fishermen sort through the morning’s catch, Muscat, Oman. (Photo: John Mckoy, NIWA)

NIWA has successfully tendered for a major fisheries resource survey in Oman, as part of a New Zealand consortium. NIWA will provide all of the science services for the design, implementation, and analysis of the survey.

The survey has been commissioned by the Oman Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries because of serious concerns about the state of fisheries resources. The core objectives are: abundance estimates for demersal (bottom-dwelling) fish on the continental shelf off southern Oman; abundance estimates of small pelagic (free-swimming) fish like sardines and anchovies; and relative abundance of mesopelagic fish (depths of between 200–1000 m) in the Omani part of the Arabian Sea. The survey is expected to take place over a 15-month period starting in August 2007, with analysis and report writing over the following 9–12 months.

The project will use a New Zealand vessel, Independent 1, provided by Independent Fisheries Ltd. The ship, which has been renamed Al Mustaquila 1, will be based in Oman for the whole survey period. The project will utilise NIWA’s capability in trawl surveys and will enhance experience in survey techniques for small pelagic fish resources.