Shrimp aquaculture in Saudi Arabia has evolved significantly since its inception in the 1990s, transitioning from freshwater tilapia farming to large-scale marine shrimp production, primarily focused on Penaeus vannamei. This shift was driven by market demand, environmental suitability, and the impact of disease outbreaks such as white spot syndrome. However, early development faced major biosecurity challenges, including inadequate regulation, limited local hatchery capacity, insufficient disease monitoring, and a lack of trained personnel.
In recent years, the Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture (MEWA) has undertaken a comprehensive reform of shrimp farm biosecurity, aligned with the country’s Vision 2030 objectives. This includes regulatory controls on live shrimp imports, development of disease monitoring infrastructure, biosecurity training, and enhanced collaboration with private sector and academic institutions. MEWA has also promoted technology transfer, workforce development, and sustainable hatchery expansion. While progress is evident, future priorities include improving local broodstock availability, expanding real-time disease diagnostics, and strengthening biosecurity human resource capacity to ensure long-term industry stability and resilience.
