Survey of Demersal Fish Stocks of the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman

At the request of the Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Agricultural Commission of the GCC in its seventeenth meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on June 19, 2006, appointed the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) to implement and lead a project on the Demersal Fish Stocks of the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman under the supervision of the Fisheries Commission of the GCC. This proposal defines the general framework through which surveys can be conducted to estimate the standing biomass of major stocks of demersal fishes and to assess their status in the waters of the countries of the GCC.

The first six months will be devoted to mobilization, establishment of a central database, and the conducting of a training course. Fifteen months then will be dedicated to carry out five sea cruises, durations of each will be from 45 to 60 days, to conduct reversal trawl and trap (gargoor) surveys using research vessels. The remaining 12 months will be allocated for data analysis, production of the final report, and holding a regional conference.