Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nationsfor a world without hunger
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries. Dashed lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. Part I Statistics and main indicatorsThe Profile (2003)Additional information⇧Part I Statistics and main indicatorsPart I of the Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profile is compiled using the most up-to-date information available from the FAO Country briefs and Statistics programmes at the time of publication. The Country Brief and the FAO Fisheries Statistics provided in Part I may, however, have been prepared at different times, which would explain any inconsistencies. Country briefUpdated 02-2017 The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a population of 29 million in 2013, including more than 5.5 million non-nationals, and a land territory of 2 149 690 km2. It borders the Gulf (Arabia/Persian) on the east and the Red Sea on the west, and has coastlines of 2 640 km. The capture fisheries and aquaculture sectors contribute to the food security of the Saudi population, although fish consumption is at about 13.5 kg/person/year (2013). Capture fishery production of the Kingdom has been average of 68 000 tonnes during the last two years. Shrimps, mackerels, emperor fish and swimming crab are the main species caught. Artisanal fishing vessels form the large majority of the Saudi fishing fleet of close to 11 200 in 2010, with mainly small boats operating in shallow coastal waters. The number of fishers was around 29 000 in 2010, of which 68 percent was foreign fishing workers. Aquaculture production increased steadily from 6 000 tonnes in 2000 to around 26 000 tonnes in 2009 and 2010, followed by a drop in production to less than 16 000 tonnes in 2011 due to the viral white spot disease outbreak in marine shrimp, the most farmed species in the country. After a recovery to 21 000 tonnes in 2012, the total production further recovered to 30 000 tonnes in 2015, 26%up from 2014. The production recovering follows the switching of the target species from P. indicus (native species) to the more resistant non-endemic P. vannamei and the implementation of biosecurity guidelines at farm level and surveillance programme at national level. Marine cage culture is a relatively new development with several large farms established along the coast of the Red Sea, farming mainly the exotic gilthead seabream and the Asian seabass (Dicentrachus labrax). The interest in finfish cage farming using other species, including grouper and amberjack, is increasing. Imports and exports of fish and fishery products by Saudi Arabia showed an increasing trend in recent years. In 2015, imports were valued at USD 633.1 million, while exports were valued at USD 100 million. Saudi Arabia is an approved exporting country to the European Union (EU). Farmed shrimp products are exported to the EU, Japan and the United States of America. General geographic and economic indicators Table 1 - General Geographic and Economic Data – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Key statistics
Source: FAO Country Profile FAO Fisheries statisticsTable 2 in this section is based on statistics prepared by the Statistics and Information Branch of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department and disseminated in 2016. The charts are based on the same source but these are automatically updated every year with the most recent disseminated statistics. Table 2 – Fisheries statistics – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Please note: Fishery statistical data here presented exclude the production for marine mammals, crocodiles, corals, sponges, pearls, mother-of-pearl and aquatic plants. Updated 2003⇧The ProfileThis country profile provides statistics and indicators produced through FAO’s Statistics programmes, supplemented with information derived from national and other sources and valid at the time of compilation. Full text of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Country Profile available at /fishery/docs/DOCUMENT/fcp/en/FI_CP_SA.pdf ⇧Additional informationFAO Thematic data bases PublicationsMeetings & News archive⇧ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fisheries Division
| Fisheries Division |
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