A preliminary investigation on the omani sardines and anchovies stock fluctuation; recommendations for future studies

This study investigates indications of inverse cyclic behavior in sardine and anchovy populations in Oman. Until now, there has been a general scarcity in the amount of research conducted on sardines and anchovies in Oman. The limited accessibility to research material made it difficult to draw strong conclusions about possible sardine-anchovy alternations. Therefore, a set of interview questions was developed and a series of interviews conducted with sardine-anchovy fishers in Oman. Based on the interviews results and review of literature on the fisheries in the region of Oman, recommendations have been developed on how to proceed with the research, management and development of the Omani sardine and anchovy fisheries. Sardines and anchovies in Oman are secondary targets to the fishers and landings are a function of market demand. The fishers provided no evidence that sardines and anchovies in Oman are inversely related. However, the fishers' experience with the sardines and anchovies is limited by the primitive fishing technology they use and their poor interest in the two fish stocks due to lower economic value.