A total of 17 applications for commercial aquaculture projects worth RO234 million ($607.7 million) are currently in various stages of approvals, said a report.

The projects’ average production will be approximately 35,000 tonnes of various marine creatures, added the Oman Daily Observer report.

Dawood bin Suleiman al Yahya’ee, director of Aquaculture Development Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, said that applications could be submitted for commercial aquaculture projects, land and sea on August 7.

He added that those projects are intended for Omani institutions and companies wishing to establish commercial aquaculture projects.

The official noted that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries offers several locations allocated for the commercial aquaculture projects in the Governorates of Muscat, South Al Sharqiyah and Al Wosta.

Al Yahya’ee added that registration extends for a period of one month between August 7 and September 8.