The Saudi Arabia Fish Market Size:
Saudi Arabia's fish market is expected to hold a significant market share during the forecast period.
Market key highlights:
- The Saudi Arabian fish market has grown significantly over the past few years, making it one of the leading producers and exporters of seafood worldwide. The market is driven by rapid growth in fisheries.
- The market has grown exponentially over the past several years owing to stringent product standards, rigorous biosecurity measures, technological advancements, and the adoption of the highest product safety norms.
- The growth in Saudi Arabia fish market is led by the government-led initiatives under the broader Vision 2030.
- Prominent market players in the Saudi Arabian Fish market include Naqua, Arab Fisheries Co., Asmak, Jazadco Co., and Tabuk Fisheries Co., among others. The players in the Saudi Arabian Fish market are implementing various growth strategies to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors in this market.
The Saudi Arabian fish market has grown significantly over the past few years, making it one of the leading producers and exporters of seafood worldwide. According to an FAO report, Saudi Arabia: A rising force in global aquaculture. Aquaculture in Saudi Arabia has experienced rapid growth, rising from 17,283 tons (19.5% of production) in 2012 to 139,949 tons (65% of production) in 2023, while traditional fisheries grew modestly from 71,301 tons in 2012 to 74,700 tons in 2023.
Aquaculture has been practised in the country for the last four decades. In 1970, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water, in collaboration with FAO and the White Fish Authority (WFA), conducted studies on the potential aquaculture development, outlining the list of species suitable for the fresh and marine waters of the kingdom. The kingdom has had a long history of aquaculture dating back to the 1980s when Nile Tilapia was first reared in inland water bodies. Later, the sector started moving towards shrimp aquaculture, mainly focusing on giant tiger prawns and Indian white shrimp. Whereas, the capture fisheries market production has been an average of 68,000 tonnes according to an FAO report. In recent years, several technological advancements have been made to support the growing demand for fisheries in the country.
The market has grown exponentially over the past several years owing to stringent product standards, rigorous biosecurity measures, technological advancements, and the adoption of the highest product safety norms. Moreover, rapid urbanization, Industrial and Agricultural growth, and diversification of the oil-based economy into other sectors have fueled the growth in the Saudi Arabian Fishery market. Besides, rising incomes, changing consumer preferences, and moving trends towards high-quality protein-rich food have led to growth in the Saudi Arabian fish market. However, the market growth has been hindered due to fishing bans, a drop in employment levels in the sector, and meteorological and hydrological conditions
Saudi Arabia Fish Market Overview
| Report Metric |
Details |
| Study Period |
2021 to 2031 |
| Historical Data |
2021 to 2024 |
| Base Year |
2025 |
| Forecast Period |
2026 – 2031 |
& Scope
The Saudi Arabia Fish Market is segmented by:
- Source: The Saudi Arabian fish market is segmented by source into capture fishing and aquaculture.
- Fish Type: The Saudi Arabia fish market is segmented by fish type into Hamour, Kingfish, Tilapia, Shrimp, Mackerel & Sardines, and Others.
- End User: The Saudi Arabian fish market is segmented by end-user into household consumption, HoReCa, and exports. In 2023, Saudi Arabia exported $4.38M of Processed Fish, making it the 84th largest exporter of Processed Fish (out of 176) in the world.
- Region: The Saudi Arabia fish market is segmented by region into Jeddah, Makkah & Madinah, Dammam & Al Khobar, Riyadh, Jizan, Abha & Najran, and Others.
Top Trends Shaping the Saudi Arabian Fish Market
- Accelerated government-led expansion of aquaculture under Vision 2030
The growth in Saudi Arabia fish market is led by the government-led initiatives under the broader Vision 2030.
- In June 2024, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA), launched the Aquaculture Development Program to transform Saudi Arabia’s aquaculture sector. The initiative targets increasing domestic production from 280,000 tons in 2024 to 530,000 tons annually by 2030.
Saudi Arabia Fish Market Growth Drivers vs. Challenges
Drivers:
- Government Support: The government has taken several product-oriented initiatives to meet the growing demand for seafood in the country. The government aims to improve fish resource management within the country and bring about sustainable management of fisheries and watersheds. Moreover, the government has instated certain regulations on the import and export of fish in and out of the country. According to circular No. 35657 dated 8\2\1431AH by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, the government has brought about restrictions to govern the imports of certain species and controls on aquatic organism imports. The government has launched five key initiatives, equaling SAR 1.3 billion, to boost the aquaculture market in the country. These initiatives aim to support the local economy, achieve food security and provide job security in the country. The country aims to boost domestic aquaculture production from 280,000 tons in 2024 to 530,000 tons annually by 2030. Moreover, rising consumption due to the growing population and increasing per capita income is expected to augment the demand in the sector by up to 600,000 tons by 2030, in order to meet 65% of the domestic demand and further reduce costs by 30%.
Challenges:
- Overfishing and Declining Wild Fish Stocks: Overfishing and the decline of wild fish stocks are one of the major challenges the Saudi Arabian fish market is facing. It is limiting the fish capture volume. As per the FAO data,
Saudi Arabia Fish Market Competitive Landscape
Prominent market players in the Saudi Arabian Fish market include Naqua, Arab Fisheries Co., Asmak, Jazadco Co., and Tabuk Fisheries Co., among others. The players in the Saudi Arabian Fish market are implementing various growth strategies to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors in this market. The market players are actively participating in the form of increased investments in R&D and are taking collaborative efforts for launching new products to expand their market share to meet the growing end-use requirements.
- Policy: In 2025, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joins the global fight against illegal fishing through accession to Agreement on Port State Measures.
- Collaboration: In February 2024, NEOM established a joint venture with Tabuk Fisheries Company. The joint venture, Topian Aquaculture, aims to support the National Livestock and Fisheries Development Program in achieving its ambitious goal of producing 600,000 tons of fish products annually by 2030.
Saudi Arabia Fish Market Segmentation:
- By Source
- By Fish Type
- Hamour
- Kingfish
- Tilapia
- Shrimp
- Mackerel & Sardines
- Others
- By End-User
- Household Consumption
- HoReCa
- Exports
- By Region