KUWAIT CITY, Feb 2:  The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) announced on Saturday that it has achieved a significant scientific milestone by completing the cycle of farming shim fish for the first time in the Middle East. The institute successfully produced larvae from female shim fish raised in closed tanks that recycle highly pure water, adhering to strict scientific standards.

In a statement, Dr. Faisal Al-Humaidan, Acting Director General of KISR, emphasized that this achievement strengthens efforts to ensure local food security while advancing marine farming techniques. He also highlighted how this success elevates Kuwait’s reputation in international scientific circles. Dr. Al-Humaidan noted that obtaining young fish from these mother shim fish marks a significant leap forward in the fish farming industry.

Dr. Afaf Al-Nasser, Executive Director of the Environmental and Life Sciences Research Center, explained that KISR is the first research institution in the world to develop shim fish farming technology. The team achieved the production of young shim fish in May 2024, just three years after the project’s inception in 2021.

Researcher Amani Al-Yaqout, head of the project, added that the breeding and fattening of shim fish was carried out in a closed system using low-salinity water and without the use of reproductive stimulants. This approach not only makes it commercially viable but also enhances food security and protects the natural shim fish stock from the risk of extinction.

Musaed Al-Rumi, the head of the work team, explained that the project’s first phase was supported by the Integrated Technologies Company for Fish and Shrimp Farming (Salia), which assisted in breeding shim larvae.

Dr. Turki Al-Saeed, Director of the Coastal and Marine Resources Program at the Environmental and Life Sciences Research Center, noted that the project is funded by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences. He also highlighted that shim fish have been classified as an endangered species since 2014 due to overfishing and changing environmental conditions in the Arabian Gulf.

In the statement, fish larvae breeding expert Salim Al-Daqour praised the study of growth development and the determination of shim fish's environmental and nutritional requirements as a major scientific accomplishment. He confirmed that the findings will be documented in peer-reviewed scientific papers and presented at international conferences. Al-Daqour added that this success contributes to Kuwait’s growing record in marine research and supports the future of fish farming.