Fishing boats In Arab gulf countries show lately an increase in number, compared with a few years
back. They mainly use fiberglass boats, and the old wooden dhows, and recently some speedboats. 
Some countries have some steel hulled fish trawlers operates in their territorial waters. 
These vessels were supposed to fish in waters deeper than 20 m. However, they often 
trawled in shallow water areas and later they were banned in some countries.

The main fishing gears used in Arab gulf countries include shrimp trawls, gillnet, large wire
traps (local name gargoor), small gargoor, and hook-and-line.The shallow inshore areas are 
fished by barrier trap (they have different local names). 

The shrimp fishery is the most important fishery in all gulf Arab countries. 
Mainly "Penaeus semisulcatus". 

Marine fisheries in Arabian gulf is facing grave environmental issues. In the last few years
summer water high temperatures resulted in massive coral bleaching in addition to the continuous
land reclamation and dredging. Oil pollution is another major environment danger.

Apart from Iraq and Kuwait, aquaculture is not a traditional activity in most of the Arab gulf 
countries.
However, the recreational fishing sector is slowly developing. 

Major Marine fishes in Arabian gulf:
Scientific name Common name Local name

Tenualosa ilisha Hilsa shad SBOUR
Liza oligolepis Mullet BIAH
Pampus argenteus Silver pomfert ZUBAIDI
Arius thalassinus Catfish Chimu
Acanthocybium solandri Wahoo 
Pomadasys kaakan Grunt sp. Nagroor
Epinephelus coioides grouper sp. hamoor
Acanthopagrus latus seabream sp. shaem
Lutjanus malabaricus snapper sp. hamrah
Otolithes ruber tigertooth croaker newaiby
Sparidentex hasta sobaity 
Sparus aurata gilthead sea bream ?