The fish wealth in Yemen is concentrated in marine natural fisheries, as the area of water bodies is approximately more than 600 thousand km2 according to estimates by the Marine Science Center, including islands and bays in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea regions with their various formations and properties. The area of the continental shelf extends to about 11.2 km2 and a depth of 200 meters along the coast of the Red Sea, which falls within the classification of semi-closed seas and is rich in coral reefs and islands. The straits and bays that fall within the continental shelf are a large area of shallow, shallow waters and are characterized by their high initial position of plankton and zooplankton due to the process of water exchange with the Gulf of Aden, which is one of the richest areas of primary fish production compared to the waters of the Red Sea, as well as being larger, deeper and more located. The Red Sea separates the Arab rocky soil mass and separates the Gulf of Aden plate from the African rocky plate. The Arabian Sea is classified as an open sea and has a huge fish wealth in the regional and special economic areas. It is characterized by varieties and types of fish and marine life with high commercial value.
With these formations and characteristics of natural fishing areas in Yemeni waters, fish wealth has become one of the most important natural resources.
Fish exports
The demand for Yemeni fish and marine life is increasing significantly by regional and global markets, as fish exports ranked first in non-oil national exports, accounting for 40% of the total for this commodity according to the sections and chapters of the international trade classification. Yemeni fish enjoys a good reputation in Arab and foreign markets and is considered one of the commodities that achieve high prices for its distinctive types compared to fish in other countries.
Fish exports are distributed among groups of Arab countries, the European Union, Asian countries and the rest of the world, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Arab Republic of Egypt, France, China, Spain and Thailand are considered the main Arab and foreign markets for importing Yemeni fish.
Squid, rockfish, yellowfin tuna, grouper and other fresh frozen fish, whole and prepared in the form of slices, are considered the most important exports directed to the markets of more than 50 Arab and foreign countries