TEHRAN, Apr. 14 (MNA) – Head of Iran Fisheries Organization Nabiollah Khoun Mirzaei said that Islamic Republic of Iran and Oman enjoy high capacities and potentials for enhancing bilateral cooperation in fishing and fishery fields.

He made the remarks on Sunday in his meeting with visiting Hamad bin Said Al-Awfi, Undersecretary of Oman's Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and said, “the two countries of Iran and Oman can boost their ties in the fields of transfer of technical knowhow and experiences in aquaculture, fishing and fishery, improving quality of products, etc.”

Sultanate of Oman enjoys cultural, social, political, economic and security commonalities with the Islamic Republic of Iran, he said, adding, “fair and suitable exchanges were conducted in the past in the fields of fishery activities between the two countries.”

Deputy minister of agriculture pointed to the fishery productions of the country and said, “currently, approx. 500,000 tons of warm- and cold-water fish, 50,000 tons of farmed shrimps, 3,000 tons of caviar fish, 5,000 tons of farmed caviar, more than 15,000 tons of farmed fish in cage, approx. 200 million ornamented fish are produced in the country annually.”

He went on to say that Islamic Republic of Iran is ready for making joint investment with Oman in the field of fishery and can provide Omani side with its research achievements.

For his part, Hamad bin Said Al-Awfi, Undersecretary of Oman's Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries introduced Omani fishery and fishing industry as ‘traditional’ and added, “total production volume of aquaculture in Oman hit 553,000 tons in 2018, showing a significant 50 percent growth as compared to a year earlier.”

Oman imports a part of its required shrimp and fish from the United Arab Emirates in dried form, he said, adding, “accordingly, Oman can use Iran’s capacity for importing dried shrimp and fish.”

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