Bahrain Fisheries And Aquaculture Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Bahrain Fisheries And Aquaculture Market Trends and Insights

Government Food-Security Subsidies for Aquaculture Expansion

The Supreme Council for Environment finalized a subsidy framework in February 2025 that reimburses up to 60% of capital outlays for recirculating aquaculture systems, hatchery gear, and biosecurity upgrades ^{[1]Source: Bahrain News Agency, “Supreme Council for Environment Launches Aquaculture Subsidy Framework,” BNA.BH}. The scheme aims to achieve an annual output of 9,250 metric tons and 50–62% seafood self-sufficiency, thereby directly offsetting Bahrain’s reliance on imports for its protein intake. Training delivered through the Ras Hayyan National Aquaculture Centre and Tamkeen equips 15–20 entrepreneurs each year with feed-conversion and pond-management skills. Four FAO technical cooperation agreements signed in 2024 include disease surveillance data, climate-resilient species screening, and genetic programs for rabbitfish and grouper. Mandatory ISO 22000 compliance incorporates traceability and hazard analysis controls into farm design from the outset.

Rising Domestic Seafood Consumption Driven by Health Awareness

Per-capita seafood intake continues to climb as the Ministry of Health’s 2024 dietary guidelines recommend three weekly servings of fish. Urban households in Manama and Muharraq now favor sashimi-grade tuna and ceviche-ready shrimp, while cold-chain investments by Banader Fish Processing enable same-day island-wide delivery. The export ban redirects premium pelagic landings into local channels, broadening access and moderating prices for middle-income buyers. Cold-store utilization in Manama’s wholesale district increased in 2024, underscoring a robust domestic demand. Social-media health content amplifies consumer awareness, strengthening demand for lean marine protein.

Advances in Aquaculture Technology

Recirculating systems equipped with biofloc reactors and sensor-based monitoring are now operational at Alba Fish Farm, achieving stocking densities of up to 60 kg/m³, triple the benchmark of open-pond systems, while reducing freshwater use. Bahrain Petroleum Company’s 2024 study integrates shrimp hatcheries with GE mobile desalination units, leveraging waste heat and brine streams. Oxygen-injection systems and IoT-enabled ammonia alerts have lowered grouper mortality. Tamkeen training modules on biofloc and diagnostics reduce dependence on expatriate technicians. Initial blockchain pilots attach QR codes linking farm GPS data and feed batches, meeting GCC halal rules and capturing shelf-price premiums in Saudi retailers ^{[2]Source: Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization, “Halal Certification Requirements for Seafood,” GSO.ORG.SA}.

Growing GCC Demand for Premium Bahraini Shrimp and Tuna Exports

Aquaculture-origin shrimp and tuna remain export-eligible, and GCC neighbors represent a USD 2.3 billion seafood opportunity growing at double-digit rates. “Gulf White Shrimp” secures price premiums over Indian and Thai supply due to four-hour truck transit to Dammam and recognized halal credentials. Shell Fisheries Company commands Japan’s blue swimming crab imports and uses the same EU-certified plant for GCC shipments. The 2024 New Zealand-GCC free-trade pact will eventually bring duty-free salmon and mussels, heightening competitive pressure but validating the region’s appetite for traceable, sustainable seafood.

Overfishing Pressure within Bahrain’s Limited Exclusive Economic Zone

Bahrain’s 8,000 km² EEZ has seen a drop in licensed fishers since 2020 and a fall in total catch, driven by grouper, emperor, and trevally depletion. Salinity exceeding 55 psu near Al Dur and summer water temperatures above 38 °C hinder reproduction, prompting fleets to venture into contested Qatari and Saudi waters. Enforcement remains thin, with only four patrol vessels for a 161 km coastline. The loss of mangroves has removed critical habitats for juvenile fish. The 2024 wild-catch export ban aims to rebuild stocks, but it also squeezes artisanal income.

Dependence on Imported Feed and Fingerlings

Over 90% of formulated feed and all shrimp post-larvae come from Thailand, India, and Saudi Arabia, making operators vulnerable to freight disruptions and currency swings ^{[3]Source: International Maritime Organization, “Red Sea Shipping Disruptions and Freight-Rate Impacts,” IMO.ORG}. The 2024 Red Sea rerouting added 18 shipping days and increased landed feed costs by 20%. Ras Hayyan’s hatchery lacks the scale to supply shrimp juveniles, and alternative insect-meal proteins flagged by the World Bank remain nascent. Dollar peg stability softens the risk of the Bahraini dinar, but invoices in Thai baht and Indian rupees expose smaller farms to unhedged exchange rate movements.

Segment Analysis

By Type: Pelagic Dominance Masks Shrimp’s Structural Shift

Pelagic fish contributed 42.2% to Bahrain fisheries and aquaculture market share in 2024, driven by sardine, mackerel, tuna, and barracuda landings that feed both retail and processing channels. Shrimp is scaling fastest at a 9.7% CAGR through 2030 as recirculating tanks tied to industrial outfalls slash energy and water costs. The Bahrain fisheries and aquaculture market size, driven by shrimp, is projected to expand sharply as hatcheries implement biosecurity upgrades and blockchain-verified exports secure GCC premiums. Pelagic supply growth will flatten once domestic demand absorbs redirected wild-catch volumes, while tuna continues to find niche opportunities in sashimi-grade domestic segments.

Demersal species, including grouper, trevally, emperor, and pomfret, face overfishing and habitat stress, limiting their future share. Niche categories, such as scallops, lobster, and caviar, each account for less than 3% of the value but offer diversification for operators investing in suspended-culture cages and controlled hatcheries. The “other” group, cuttlefish, jellyfish, and ribbon fish, leverages Shell Fisheries Company’s frozen export lines to Japan, demonstrating that value-added processing can circumvent local volume constraints. Blockchain traceability in these specialties strengthens halal claims, positioning Bahrain as a premium supplier in Saudi and Emirati supermarkets.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

All commercial activity in the Bahrain fisheries and aquaculture market unfolds within a densely populated 765 km² island and along 161 km of coastline, concentrating competition for marine and industrial zone space. The Southern Governorate hosts approximately 70% of the national farming capacity, anchored by Ras Hayyan and Alba Fish Farm, which utilizes 300,000 m³/day of pre-filtered industrial seawater and achieves a stocking density of up to 60 kg/m³. These cost advantages underpin the governorate’s projected growth through 2030 and cement its lead in the Bahrain fisheries and aquaculture market size.

The Northern Governorate and Muharraq harbor the majority of artisanal fleets and cold stores that supply Manama’s wholesale hub. Cold-store utilization increased in 2024, as the export ban redirected pelagic volumes to the domestic market. Rising urban demand shortens inventory turnover and encourages processors to retrofit blast-freezers for higher-value chilled lines. Marine heatwaves in 2022 and 2023 forced fishers farther offshore, inflating fuel costs and reducing harvest windows.

The Capital Governorate drives consumption growth among health-conscious urban consumers who follow the Ministry of Health dietary guidelines. Retailers expanded their seafood aisles and introduced same-day delivery using upgraded cold vans. Adjacent wastewater-reclamation projects in Muharraq target inland aquaponics, pending approval for food-grade use. Coastal zoning rules now prioritize aquaculture over recreational developments, ensuring site availability for future recirculating facilities even as residential expansion pressures shoreline land values.