Saudi fisheries and aquaculture production surged in 2023 by 56%, sets goal for 2030

In 2023, Saudi Arabia's fisheries and aquaculture industry experienced a significant surge in growth, with production rising from 90,000 tons in 2021 to over 140,000 tons, a 56% increase. This growth is in line with the country's strategies aimed at food self-sufficiency and sustainable development. The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water Resources and Agriculture is working to optimize natural resource use, with objectives to boost the industry's GDP contribution, achieve seafood self-sufficiency, and diversify the country's income sources. Saudi Arabia targets reaching 600,000 tons of fish production and a per capita consumption of 13 kilograms by 2030. The industry currently produces a variety of fish species including Nile tilapia, sea bass, sea bream, and vannamei shrimp, and also has an annual export volume of about 59,844 tons, generating around 1.1 billion Saudi riyals in revenue.