With the shrimp season due to end in February following its launch in early August, fishermen in the Eastern Province said that it was the worst season in the past three years with the shrimp catch declining by almost 50 percent compared to the previous season.

The fishermen also complained about the high prices of the marine delicacy which affected transportation costs and created difficulties in fulfilling financial commitments.

Speaking on the current shrimp season, Redha Al Fardan said that it was marked by the significantly small catch with a haul of 160-200 kg compared to 320-350 kg in the same period last season.

Al Fardan attributed the small quantities of shrimp to over-fishing with a large number of boats in the waters seeking to take advantage of the high prices of the fish.

“Prices at the start of the season registered SR 400-1,200 for a 32 kg container compared to SR 700-2,000 currently,” he said.

The fisherman explained that the current prices covered the costs of the fishing expeditions ranging for periods of five to seven days.

“A fishing expedition can cost up to SR 2,000 while profits form the shrimp catch can reach from SR7-8,000 which saw many fishermen in the sea until the last day of the season,” he noted.