Anglers from across the world flock to Salalah for game fishing

SALALAH, JAN 14 - Salalah is fast emerging as an anglers’ paradise as a section of tourists heads to the destination only for fishing. What thrills them is not greenery and pristine beaches, but deep sea and big catches. They come to Salalah from all over the world exclusively for fishing. They love to indulge in an adventure sport called ‘game fishing’. Yousuf Mohammed al Shanfari, Director of Around the Ocean, (pictured) calls it an opportunity to treat tourists with an interest in fishing because he himself is an avid fisherman and a good diver. “Fishing in Salalah depends on what kind of fish you are interested in. The period between January and March — when the weather is moderate — is the season for tuna fish. April and November is also a fishing season, but the best time (for fishing) is between January and March,” said Al Shanfari. His company handles 150-200 tourists who come to Salalah for fishing. Citing the example of a group of six tourists from Belgium, Al Shanfari said they had come to Salalah for the first time. They spent eight days on fishing. “They would set out to sea early and come back in the evening with some big catch.” Some tourists love marine activities, including dolphin-watching, fishing, dhow cruise with activities, sunset cruise and private boat charters. “They try to spend the maximum time in marine activities. Only a day before their departure, they would go on the city tours,” Al Shanfari said, confirming the huge potential for marine tourism in Salalah. He suggested exploring the sector not only for tourists interested in fishing or marine activities, but also for other tourists, mainly from European countries, who visit Salalah to enjoy its beaches and places such as Mirbat and Taqah. Marine activities, according to Al Shanfari, is a natural choice for people of Salalah, offering good job opportunities to locals who have the right skills as they live in the coastal areas of Dhofar. He recommended a proactive approach to make marine tourism more popular among the Salalah tourists.