50 MARCH 2025 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG accumulated cases for year-to-year tracking. Additionally, the import of live fish must be strictly regulated to prevent disease outbreaks. Only licensed operators can import live fish; a list of approved companies is maintained for import and biosecurity purposes. The MEWA also provided farmers with free disease prevention and biosecurity manuals and regularly monitored farm operations to prevent disease outbreaks (Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, 2019). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the global per capita annual seafood consumption was 20.7 kg in 2022. However, since the 2020s, Saudi Arabia’s per capita seafood consumption has been approximately 9-12 kg. Notably, the MEWA has been trying to increase this to 13 kilograms by 2030. To encourage seafood consumption and enhance the domestic market, the MEWA actively organizes marketing and promotional activities to promote local seafood products (Figure 9). 2. Future development of tilapia aquaculture in Saudi Arabia Since 2018, the MEWA has encouraged fish farmers to increase the production of freshwater tilapia and promoted fresh and processed products. The output grew from 3,000 to 45,200 tons during 2010-2023. The MEWA actively supports the growth and development of the tilapia aquaculture industry. It assists in the search for suitable farming locations, provides technical consultations, and offers vocational training. Moreover, it continues to cooperate internationally to import high-quality broodstock and fry, assisting industry operators in producing quality products. They also encourage the younger generation to participate in the development of the aquaculture industry. In addition, the MEWA holds the Saudi International Marine Exhibition (SIMEC) annually, which aims to promote Saudi Arabia’s aquaculture industry through exchanges among globally relevant private, government, and academic sectors (Figure 10). Moreover, the MEWA continues to seek ways to improve farmers’ income through new aquaculture methods, such as aquaponics and solar photovoltaic systems (Figure 11). Overall, stability of fry sources is crucial for tilapia aquaculture’s sustainable development. Hence, it is imperative to prioritize broodstock. Given the limited availability of local hatcheries supplying broodstock and fry, expanding fry production and establishing additional hatcheries is necessary. Moreover, most tilapia hatcheries lack quality broodstock capacity. Current policies are also focused on marketing, preventing disease, and biosecurity. FIGURE 7. Marketing consultation. Source: Benjamin C. Young. FIGURE 8. Biosecurity workshop. Source: Benjamin C. Young. FIGURE 9. Aquaculture product promotion. Source: Benjamin C. Young. FIGURE 10. Saudi International Marine Exhibition (SIMEC). Source: Benjamin C. Young.
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