With 3 165 kilometres of coastline, it is hardly surprising that fish markets are an important, daily part of local life in Oman. The Sultanate of Oman is one of the largest fish producers in the Gulf region with a total capture production of 580 000 tonnes in 2019, and its domestic consumption is well over the worldwide average. Omanis are significant consumers of seafood products, and fisheries provide livelihoods for many in the country’s coastal communities.
On a normal day, one of the liveliest fish markets in the Sultanate is in its capital city of Muscat. The Mutrah Fish Market, nestled along the sea on Oman’s largest harbour, is teeming with life. Its days begin before dawn when the fishermen start arriving to offload their catch. The marketplace is a swirl of sights, smells, sounds and daily activity, with Omanis and international tourists weaving around the market stalls.
Fish vendors, mostly dressed in the traditional, white garment, a dishdasha, stand behind stalls stacked high with the daily catch: tuna, red mullet, kingfish, grouper and crabs. Their cries in Arabic and English advertise their wares.
But in the wake of COVID-19, new regulations have challenged the fisheries supply chains in the Sultanate. With the need to implement physical distancing and other regulations to face COVID-19, the vast spaces of the Mutrah Fish Market and other important fish markets throughout the country are mostly silent now.
The question remained: Could fresh fish products still reach Omani consumers?
As it turns out, the answer was yes thanks to the government’s innovative approach of transforming the fish auction markets– the backbone of Oman’s fish supply chain – from a physical marketplace to a digital platform.
Behar – a digital auctioning platform
The result was Behar, an integrated online platform for fish auctioning. Launched by Oman’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in cooperation with the Oman Technology Fund, Behar is currently being piloted in the country’s second largest fish market, the Central Fish Market at Al Fulaaij. Before the lockdown, this wholesale market served as the cornerstone for retailers, both in Oman and abroad. Lively auctions took place here, providing the daily catch to restaurants, hotels, supermarket chains and countries throughout the region.