الملخص الإنجليزي
ingfish (Scomberomorus commerson) is a high-valued species, not only in the Sultanate of Oman but also in the neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The latest stock status analysis indicates that the fishery is overexploited.
To ensure that the kingfish fishery is sustainable in the long-term and that the socio-economic well-being of traditional Omani fishers is maintained, a fisheries management plan is proposed. In this study, the proposed management plan was developed and evaluated by its acceptance by key stakeholders. During the development of the kingfish management plan a number of distinct steps were followed. First, a thorough review of the relevant literature was undertaken to determine biological, ecological and socio-economic characteristics of the fishery. Second, a pilot study was conducted involving representatives from fishermen and non-fishermen groups (fisheries managers, scientists and academics). The primary aim of the pilot study was to determine and avoid misinterpretation of questions pertaining to the proposed management plan: Third, the feedback received from the pilot study was used to prepare final questionnaires and to revise the proposed draft management plan. Fourth, the revised draft management plan together with a brief overview of the fishery was discussed in detail with participants in the final survey. Finally, the Omani management plan was compared to international management plans for similar species with a view to drawing on international experiences.
A number of important findings from the survey, which have significant management implications include; 1) The survey results show that both fishermen and non-fishermen agree that the kingfish fishery, at present, in the Sultanate of Oman is biologically unsustainable, 2) Secondly, that the current legislative arrangements are insufficient to ensure a sustainable fishery in the long term, 3) It was found that the role of the traditional committee (Senat Al Bhar) in raising fisheries issues and changing the behavior of fishermen towards a sustainable one is diminishing, 4)The majority of participants believes that the proposed management plan is adequate for ensuring protection of the kingfish stock in the long term, 5) However, there are regional differences in management goals and measures reflecting regional preferences and geographical characteristics.
To facilitate implementation of the kingfish management plan some key actions are recommended. By taking into consideration the shared nature of the kingfish stock a co-management approach with the relevant regional countries is essential. In this regard, a level of harmonization in legislative arrangements with relevant countries is recommended with a view to re-build this stock.
