King Abdulaziz University (KAU) has launched an initiative to rehabilitate and redevelop its fish farm facility in Obhur, north of Jeddah, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA). The project, implemented through MEWA's National Livestock and Fisheries Development Program, aims to strengthen cooperation between academic and government institutions and support sustainable growth in Saudi Arabia's aquaculture sector.
Inauguration and Key Attendees
The inauguration on Tuesday was attended by Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour Al-Mushaiti, King Abdulaziz University President Tareef Al-Aama, Agriculture Undersecretary Suleiman Al-Khatib, and Assistant Undersecretary for Livestock and Fisheries Ali Al-Shaikhi. During the event, attendees watched a documentary on the ministry's work before Director General of Aquaculture Fares Al-Ghamdi spoke about current and future areas of collaboration between MEWA and KAU. Al-Mushaiti later toured the project's facilities.
Challenges in Red Sea Aquaculture
Speaking to Arab News, Dean of the Faculty of Marine Sciences Turki Al-Raddadi highlighted the main challenges facing aquaculture in the Red Sea. He noted that the region's unique marine environment presents significant difficulties. "One of the most prominent challenges is the consistently high and fluctuating water temperatures, which place farmed species under environmental stress that can affect growth rates and productivity," Al-Raddadi said. "These are becoming more pronounced as the impacts of climate change intensify."
Disease remains one of the most significant economic challenges, particularly in shrimp farming. "Shrimp have relatively limited immune defenses compared with some other farmed aquatic species, making them more vulnerable to disease outbreaks that can result in substantial losses if they are not managed through effective scientific and preventive measures," Al-Raddadi added. He also emphasized the need to develop more efficient and cost-effective feed, preserve genetic diversity of farmed species, and produce locally adapted strains capable of withstanding Red Sea environmental conditions.
Research Programs and Objectives
The fish farm's research programs focus on developing aquaculture feed using locally sourced and alternative ingredients to reduce production costs and decrease reliance on imported materials. Other projects aim to improve the health of fish and shrimp stocks to strengthen disease prevention and reduce dependence on conventional treatments. The facility is also working to preserve genetic resources of native species and develop strains better adapted to the Red Sea. Efforts are underway to improve hatchery performance and expand local fingerling production, reducing import needs and supporting greater self-sufficiency.
Alignment with Saudi Vision 2030
Al-Raddadi said the redevelopment project is designed to enhance KAU's educational and research infrastructure in aquaculture, supporting applied scientific research, technology localization, and food security objectives in line with Saudi Vision 2030. The facility will provide an advanced environment for research on Red Sea-native species and for developing aquaculture systems and technologies. It will also support genetic improvement programs and efforts to increase the productivity of commercially valuable aquatic species.
