H.E. the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Fahd bin Abdulrahman Balghunaim has Inaugurated at his office in the Ministry the website of the Saudi Aquaculture Society in the Internet, on Sunday, 8 Safar, 1436, corresponding to November 30, 2014.

The Chairman of the Saudi Aquaculture Society, engineer, Ahmed Al Ballaa presented HE with a detailed explanation on the activities of the Saudi Aquaculture Society and its achievements in developing the aquaculture sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Engineer/ Al Ballaa stated that the website is a huge data platform that provides important information, both in Arabic and English languages, to investors and workers in the field of aquaculture in the Kingdom, in order to keep them well informed of the developments of this sector. The website will also provide SAS with many statistics and researches that would assist it in studying the proposed investment opportunities. Moreover, the website forms an essential source of information for workers in the aquaculture sector including companies and project developers. Engineer Al Ballaa pointed out that the keenness of SAS to launch this site coincides with the expectations of the growing global demand for seafood in the coming years, from the current 120 million metric tonnes to about 175 million metric tonnes in the year 2025, considering that the required increase in production will be met  by the aquaculture projects.

Moreover, SAS Chairman emphasized that a number of achievements were made in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture , such as the preparation of a road map for the culture of algae in the Kingdom,  a strategy for promoting aquaculture products in the Kingdom, and the development of the closed aquaculture systems in the Kingdom, in order to achieve the Ministry's strategy of raising the level of aquaculture production to  one million tons in 2029 AD, so as to ensure food security, provide safe and healthy food, and attain sustainable development of rural areas in the Kingdom.

It is worth mentioning that SAS was established by the resolution of the Council of Ministers on 14/03/1433 AH, and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. It aims to promote the aquaculture industry and its products, and all that would develop the sector and participate in the preparation of the necessary stipulations and standards that would be applicable to the aquaculture industry and its products. Also, to study the rules, regulations and standards for the aquaculture industry and its products and recommend any amendment thereto, and propose ways and mechanisms for monitoring, and inspection, in addition to recommend granting licenses, amend or withdraw them and submit them to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by the Deputy Minister for Fisheries Affairs, engineer/ Jaber bin Muhammad Al- Shihri and a number of Ministry officials.