Saudi Aramco has inaugurated of the regional center for sustainable fishery development, Arabian Gulf branch, in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
Through this collaboration, Saudi Aramco aims to showcase its commitment to citizenship initiatives and long-term community development. The company is working to stimulate economic growth, particularly by supporting local fishermen and their livelihoods.
The initiative also focuses on building local expertise, adopting global best practices, and enhancing aquaculture production. One of the key goals is to cultivate fish of marketable sizes that can compete in international markets, reinforcing the Kingdom’s position in the global seafood industry.
According to the statement, the center is part of the company’s broader efforts to protect marine life in the Arabian Gulf. It involves the establishment of a fish hatchery on Abu Ali Island in Jubail, located on the Arabian Gulf coast, designed to produce local fish species that have experienced population declines due to fishing practices and to reintroduce them into Gulf waters.
The center’s operations are designed to encompass the complete fish life cycle within designated tanks, from broodstock for egg production to larval rearing using plankton produced on-site and finally to the release of juvenile fish into the Arabian Gulf.
The hatchery employs advanced aquaculture technologies to ensure fish health, and it utilizes top-tier water recycling techniques to enhance performance and meet the company’s circular economy objectives.
The project aligns with Saudi Aramco’s mangrove plantation initiative, under which more than 43 million trees have been planted to date. Mangrove forests provide vital nursery habitats for the juvenile fish released into the Gulf, further supporting the sustainability of marine ecosystems, as per the statement.
