The debut of the "Shrimp" season... 13 tons
The shrimp fishing season kicked off strongly on Saturday, with more than 13 tons landed in the market on the first day, representing the catch of 240 vessels. Amid signs of abundant production and expectations of falling prices in the coming days, the General Authority for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs (GAAFA) opened fishing in the economic waters following the end of the ban period.
Al-Rai followed the landing of the initial shrimp quantities at the East Market, where Abdullah Al-Sarheed, head of the Fishermen’s Union, revealed that the first-day catch amounted to approximately 600 baskets landed at the East and Al-Kout markets. He explained that the auction price for a basket weighing 23 kilograms ranged between 30 and 35 dinars at Al-Kout Market, while sales at the East Market ranged between 45 and 55 dinars, reflecting a strong start to the season and plentiful production.
Al-Sarheed told Al-Rai that “the quantities entering the market on the first day are encouraging for a successful season, and we expect that the continued influx of catches will increase supply and gradually lower prices.” He noted that the price per kilogram is approximately 1.5 dinars, depending on the size and quality of the “Naeeri” shrimp.
He added that “the launch of the season came after completing official approvals and coordinating with relevant authorities, as part of efforts to balance preserving fish stocks and sustaining economic activity in the fishing sector.” He pointed out that “the shrimp fishing season runs from this Saturday, August 1, until the end of December next year, using the environmentally friendly bottom trawl method via ‘Kufa nets,’ which helps minimize environmental impact and preserve biodiversity in the marine environment.”
He emphasized “fishermen’s commitment to laws and regulations governing fishing operations, and the use of only authorized equipment, as protecting marine resources is a shared responsibility requiring cooperation from all workers in the fishing sector.” He clarified that “regulating fishing seasons is part of the Authority’s efforts to achieve sustainability and replenish fish stocks, thereby enhancing food security and providing stable supplies of shrimp and fish to the local market.”
• It was noted in the market that Iraqi Zubaidi fish is available, imported by land via the Abdali border crossing, in suitable sizes and quantities that contributed to lowering the price of Zubaidi from 17 to 8 dinars per kilogram, amid strong demand from fans of this type of fish.
