Qatar - Fishing

The Qatar National Fishing Co., formed as a Qatar-UK partnership in 1966, was wholly taken over by Qatar in 1980 and has its own shrimp fishing fleet and processing facilities. Fish and shellfish production in 2000 totaled 7,142 tons (up from 4,207 tons in 1999).

Pearl fishing, once important in Qatar, has virtually disappeared. The principal fishing facilities at Doha and Al Khor have been improved. Overfishing and pollution have adversely affected catches, and there is further concern that oil pollution from the Gulf War may worsen conditions even further.