Release of five million fish fingerlings

Over the past three years, the Aquatic Research Center at Ras Matbakh has released 5.5 million fingerlings of local fish species into Qatari waters in order to increase the country’s strategic fish reserve. The center, which is run by the Ministry of Municipality, has a capacity of producing 10 million fingerlings of local fish and 20 million larvae of shrimp in a year.

The fingerlings of local commercial fish species such as Hamour, Safi, Al Sha’m, and Al Subaiti are being released into the waters for fattening in fish farms. Plans to add European sea bream and red snapper are also in the works. The center is also conducting research on sea fish in collaboration with Qatar University, and has launched various research projects related to shrimp and fish. With only three fish farms in the country, more farms are needed to meet the demand for fattening fingerlings. The goal is to increase Qatar’s self-sufficiency in fish production from 77 percent to 95 percent.