Saudi could save millions as aquaculture industry grows

King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) have made significant progress to build a local and sustainable aquaculture industry in the Kingdom through their joint Aquaculture Development Program (ADP). 

Achievements of the program were revealed at the 6th International Saudi Aquaculture Development Workshop, held at KAUST on Nov. 14, 2024. KAUST Beacon Development (KBD), an environmental consultancy based in KAUST that oversees the program, has made significant inroads in food security-related achievements in fish production and sustainable aquaculture improvements. 

With fish nutrition representing up to 70% of fish farming production costs, improving the feed conversion ratio (FCR), a measure of fish production efficiency can have a significant impact. The KBD team has developed more than 30 new formulations, with significant improvements of 10-15% in FCR and 15-35% in the energy conversion ratio for different fish species under Red Sea conditions.   

“If all the diets that we have developed are used in an industrial scale in Saudi Arabia for the production of 2030 targets, it would save $417 million USD per year in terms of production costs,” stated Dr. Ali Mohammed Al-Sheikhi, Assistant Deputy Minister for Animal Resources and Fisheries at the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture. 

In fish reproduction, KBD has established the complete production cycle of Sobaity seabream (Sparidentex hasta), a common fish found in the Arabian Gulf region, from broodstock to grow out. This means they can reproduce the species in captivity, take care of the eggs and larvae generated by the reproduction and grow them until commercial size to sell or restock, depending on the purpose.  

They have also managed to produce one of the most appreciated fish in Mediterranean countries, Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) under the unique conditions of the Red Sea and developed a complete protocol to rear the fish in captivity conditions for six marine fish species.  

The achievements were outlined to attendees of the workshop on Saudi Aquaculture Product's Value Chain Analysis and Its Seafood Quality Assessment. Hosted by MEWA and KAUST, the workshop featured local and international leading experts in the industry. KBD presented the results of their applied research to address production bottlenecks and creating a roadmap for the advancement of mariculture in Saudi Arabia. They also shared their most recent work and research findings and offered a broader perspective of the potential for aquaculture products through value chain and quality assessment analysis within the region and beyond. 

“Food security is a major focus for Saudi Arabia and that is why KAUST and our partner MEWA are accelerating the growth of the aquaculture sector locally to meet domestic seafood demands and bolster the country's economy,” said Dr. Ian Campbell, Vice President, National Transformation Institute (NTI) at KAUST. 

The MEWA-KAUST’s aquaculture partnership is expected to initially yield 280,000 tons of seafood but reach 530,000 tons annually by 2030.  

Through this program, the Kingdom aims to reduce its reliance on imported fish, provide new jobs, attract investments and help local fishing communities become self-sufficient. Importantly, the program will alleviate pressure on wild fish populations — currently endangered along Saudi’s coasts due to overfishing and environmental stressors — and thus help preserve marine biodiversity.