In a bid to strengthen its fisheries sector and boost marine research, Qatar will soon launch its QR230 million Aquatic Research Centre, Arabic daily Arrayah reported yesterday.

According to a source at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), the center is all set for its official opening at Ras Matbakh this month.

The Aquatic Research Centre is one of the largest of its kind national projects that aims to enhance marine research, deploy sophisticated equipment and technologies, and contribute to increased productivity of domestic fisheries as well as protect the country’s marine reserves.

According to the source at MME the center will encourage scientific research and studies to look into the best ways of fish breeding, with special focus on the local varieties of economic value to increase the volume of domestic production and supply the needs of the local market accordingly.

Moreover, the strategy aspires to maintain a surplus of production that could be imported. 

The center is equipped with aquaculture facilities and a dedicated unit for fish breeding with a capacity of 2.4 million fish larvae with four hatching seasons a year.

Spread across 110,000sqm, the center has the potential to raise its production capability to 10 million fish a year.

There is also another unit for shrimps that could ultimately produce six tonnes a year.

The source emphasized that Qatar has been working to achieve 90 percent self-sufficiency of local fish production by 2023.

For self-sufficiency of shrimps, the strategy is expected to help the country achieve 100 percent self-sufficiency by 2023 through the production of 1,000 tonnes annually in the Al-Arish Area.
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Source: Gulf Times