Fisheries and Aquaculture in UAE Aquaculture In The United Arab Emirates | Page 4

However, recent initiatives, sure to get high returns make it a lucrative investment sector, making it
one of the country’s best kept secrets
Large and Increasing Domestic Demand
• UAE has 2nd highest per capita consumption of fish at 24.5 kg
• Population increased by 125% between 2006 and 2014, to 9.35 MN
• Demand expected to increase because of preference for protein
rich food by expanding young and expat population
Government encouraging private investment
• Govt announced intention of attracting PPPs from
private and foreign investors in aquaculture sector at
Aqua Middle East in Dubai
Increase in domestic and global fish prices
• Sustained hikes in prices fish domestically
• Global increase in prices of shrimps, sturgeons

Conducive breeding ground and hatcheries
• Mangroves along the UAE coast make for ideal
fish breeding grounds, currently being evaluated
for development of infrastructure

Government Support and Initiatives
• Govt collaborates with Govt of Japan
to develop aquaculture
Government Investments
• UAE administration recently
announced several large RAS and
offshore pisciculture plans
Increase in Global Demand for Sturgeon
and Shrimp
• Global increase in demand and prices of
sturgeon (UAE has the largest sturgeon
farm in Dubai) further make this sector
lucrative
High Growth in an sector Promising First Mover Advantage
• Current production from aquaculture not more than 780 tonnes per
annum (FAO, 2013), out of a total of about 80,426 tonnes (FAO, 2013),
a mere 1%.
• Aquaculture projects to build high value seafood production in the
Middle East, including Middle East’s first farm for salmon and
sturgeon and caviar