1. Khor Omera
Located 150 km west of Aden on the Gulf of Aden, Khor Omera can be reached by a very difficult road in sand with a four-wheel-drive car or a small truck. The Khor Omera fishing village is located along the beach facing the mouth of a small bay, opened to the west and well protected from dominant winds. According to the fishermen, the maximum water depth is approximately 5 m. The swell is never a problem and its maximum height is about 60–70 cm during the summer monsoon strong winds. The bottom is said to be covered with algae, on which turtles used to graze. As far as the fishermen can remember, no specific fishing, except turtles, has been done in the Khor Omera Bay and catches are similar to the open sea.
Currently, turtles are not fished except when specific demands occur, generally concerning turtle shells (demand is mainly from foreigners). During the processing, meat is removed and consumed locally by fishermen who appreciate it very much.
During 1968–1973, they were catching 50 to 70 turtles per day. In their opinion, no effect had been noticed on the total amount of turtles available in the Bay.
No data exist on topographical characteristics of Khor Omera Bay nor on water, bottom qualities or fish populations in the area.
2. Imran - Azizi Island
Imran is a small fishing village near the beach at the bottom of a rocky hill, 60–70 km west of Aden. Facing west, the village is relatively well protected from the strong winds blowing during the monsoon. A cold store has been constructed on the bay near a small natural tidal pool. At low tide, only a very shallow pool remains. At the highest tides, the water overflows and covers the whole area, making it very difficult to use in mariculture without considerable investment. About 3/4 mile away from the village is located Azizi Island, which can be reached only by boat, despite the fact that at low tides, depths between island and mainland are 1–1.5 m on a sand neck. Landing occurs generally on the main beach of Azizi Island, facing west, where turtles come to spawn in large numbers.
Fishermen used to come during the hatching season to collect some newly hatched turtles for culturing purposes. According to their information, this culture is rather easy and profitable.
As for Khor Omera, there is a complete lack of scientific data.
3. Little Aden Lagoon and Persian Ponds
(i) Little Aden Lagoon (Bay) is a relatively important body of water which might be exploited by using a valliculture type fishery. Surface depths and other characteristics are unknown. It connects with Aden Bay through a main passage about 200 m in width, oriented to the southeast and a small secondary inlet about 10 m wide nearby. The two passages are crossed by bridges and future fishing facilities could be easily anchored on these structures.
(ii) Persian Ponds As indicated in Figure 2.1, this site covers three main ponds, each of 20 ha; water exchanges with Little Aden Bay are controlled by two main sluice gates and two secondary inner gates. Depths are reported to be about 1 m when the gates (presently broken) are closed. Bottom is of sand near the banks and mud elsewhere. Attached to the southeast side of these three ponds are an undetermined number of disused salt pans, which might also be used for aquaculture. All these ponds were in use years ago (30–40 years?) as fish and shrimp preserves. Like in many other places in the world (Mediterranean region especially), fish fry entered the ponds through water gates. The fish were then kept without extra feeding in ponds and captured at appropriate times. It is reported that as many as 100 people were at work at the same time.
Recently, the Persian ponds were completely derelict and one of the two main sluice gates has been destroyed gradually by the swell effect. Secondary water gates are in very poor condition too. In some places the dike walls are also partially destroyed by the swell.
Fishing of shrimps (Penaeus adenicus) and mullets is still practised by local fishermen but no scientific data exist on these ponds.
4. Khormaksar Ponds
These are located in the innermost recess of Aden Bay, 10 km from Steamer Point. They resulted from the construction of a new road across the Bay of Aden in shallow waters. Parts of the ponds have been reclaimed for Aden Airport and reclaiming is still going on today (Figure 2.2). Communication with Aden Bay has been preserved by means of one main gate and secondary pipes situated under the road. Behind the three main ponds, salt pans can be found.
Water quality is unknown but high salinities might be expected, resulting from shallow waters and intense evaporation. Bottoms are sandy near the sea shore but turn gradually to mud in all parts of the ponds. As for the previous sites, no valuable data exist up to now.
5. Rukub and Buish Lagoons (5th Governorate) (Figure 3)
Located about 15 km northeast from Mukalla, these lagoons can be reached from the main road after 1 km of trail. They consist of depressed areas in the sandhills, separated from the sea by a rather low sand string. In Rukub the mouth opening is about 200 m wide, while it seems close to 400 m in Buish. These ponds are filled up with fresh water coming from the mountains whenever it rains and during the highest tides of the year they are filled up with sea water.
Up to now, fishermen have no special interest in these two ponds and have no ideas about the way they might be used. They might be used for aquaculture but considerable investment, especially by hydraulics, earthworks and protection against the sea, would be involved. A semi-intensive cultural system could well fit into these sites in the future but the various prerequisites must be satisfied first,
6. Um Bikha (5th Governorate)
Located 10 km west of Mukalla, Um Bikha can be easily reached from the Mukalla-Aden main road. It probably has been shaped in the same way and at the same time as Rukub and Buish lagoons. However, the result is much more interesting from an aquaculturist point of view. About half of its total Length in the back is well protected and could be easily dammed, providing a good pond for shrimp and fish culture. The edge substratum on the right bank is good and there is room enough to build minimum infrastructure. In this system, when rains come, the sand string at the opening is washed away and direct communication with the sea can last a maximum of one year.
According to the fishermen, fish populations in this pond seem rather rich in variety; shrimps, especially abundant after the rains; mullets; Carangidae, etc. Fishermen do not know about the spawning season of these species.
