PAAAFR monitors ‘maid’ fishing to balance market supply and environmental protection

• Resuming fishing in Kuwait Bay has boosted fish supply in the local market, positively influencing prices and making them more competitive and accessible.
• Unfavorable weather conditions had temporarily reduced catches, but improved weather is expected to lead to abundant supply and further price decreases.

The Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR), Engineer Salem Al-Hai, has emphasized on the importance of striking balance between meeting local market demand for fish and preserving Kuwait’s marine environment.

In a statement, the Authority said that Al-Hai, accompanied by a team from the Marine Control Department of the Fisheries Sector, conducted a field tour in Kuwait Bay to monitor the implementation of what PAAAFR called “exceptional” fishing permit for “maid” (sea bream).

The visit aimed to assess the on-ground enforcement of the decision, verify regulatory measures, and ensure compliance with environmental standards to protect fish stocks, reports Al-Rai daily.

Al-Hai had earlier issued a decision allowing exceptional fishing for maid fish in Kuwait Bay, with the goal of increasing local availability and reducing market prices.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Al-Sarheed, head of the Fishermen’s Union, affirmed that fish prices—particularly for maid—are expected to decline significantly over the coming weeks, potentially returning to 1990s price levels within a month.

Al-Sarheed noted that resuming fishing in Kuwait Bay has boosted fish supply in the local market, positively influencing prices and making them more competitive and accessible. He added that unfavorable weather conditions had temporarily reduced catches, but improved weather is expected to lead to abundant supply and further price decreases.

He also revealed that the Fishermen’s Union will soon launch stalls selling imported fish at cost price as part of efforts to stabilize the market and support the competitiveness of local products.

“Prices have already started to drop noticeably,” Al-Sarheed said, noting that a basket of maid fish, previously sold for around KD 120, is now priced at KD 60. He expressed optimism that the coming period will witness a strong recovery in the local fish market, driven by the cooperation of relevant authorities and the state’s support for the fishing sector and fishermen.

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