DAMMAM: Fish prices in the Eastern Province have fallen by 50 percent for the first time in three years.

The price of Hammour has fallen to around SR30 per kilo, while Al-Kanad has fallen to SR25 per kilo and Al-Aradi to SR25 per kilo.

Fishermen say prices are expected to continue falling until the start of summer when prices rise and stabilize once again.

They said the weather plays a major role in prices, as it can reduce fishing by close to half. The price of fish, especially smaller ones, is expected to fall even lower until the end of the next month.

Ali Al-Alawi, who sells fish at the Central Fish Market in Qatif, said: “Most customers were not buying fish such as Hammour and Al-Kanad because they were expensive and ranged between SR40 and SR60 per kilogram last month.

Now that the prices have crashed, they have begun to buy the two popular varieties of fish.”

According to Salman Shihab, a fish seller, fish prices are dependent on weather patterns which impact fishing activities, “and this is why prices increase and decrease from one day to the next.”

“Customers are buying more fish now due to availability and low prices,” he said. “The fish that is being sold is fresh and tastes much better.”

In markets in the Eastern Province, the average fish prices are SR20 per kilo of Al-Shaari, SR18 for Al-Faskar, between SR30 and SR35 for Al-Hamam and Hammour, SR25 for Al-Kanad, SR20 for Al-Safi and SR30 for Al-Sabaiti.