Shrimp season is the busiest stretch of the Kuwaiti calendar. The moment the season opens, trawlers line up along the ports, the fish market fills with fresh shrimp, and kitchens across the country start cooking shrimp machboos. If you run a boat, work a deck, or simply buy shrimp by the crate, here is what you need to know about the timing, the rules and the fleet.
Historically, the shrimp season in Kuwait opens on or around 1 August and closes at the end of November or in the first days of December. That gives roughly four months of fishing, with the rest of the year closed to trawlers.
The dates are not set in stone. The season is declared each year by the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, which announces the opening and closing dates based on stock surveys and assessments. The schedule can shift by days, sometimes more, from one year to the next, so follow the official announcement before you prepare your boat.
The trawlers, known locally as shambari, drag a net across the seabed and do most of their work at night, when shrimp leave the mud and move. Most towing happens between roughly 5 and 25 metres of depth, and boats land their catch at Shuwaikh, Shuaiba, Doha and other ports.
The long closure is not red tape aimed at fishermen. It is what allows shrimp to grow, spawn and rebuild the stock. Trawl all year and juveniles are landed before they reach saleable size, and the following season is poor for everyone. Respecting the official dates is therefore in your own interest first, and a legal requirement second.
Check the sea state before you leave. The shamal wind clears the water and sharpens visibility, but it also builds swell and makes for a long, hard day. Time your trip around the tide, because the strong flow at the turn of the tide gets shrimp moving. Keep a record of every trip: the mark, the date, the depth, the volume and the size grade. At the end of the season the pattern is in front of you instead of in your memory.
If you would rather have it organised, the B7R app gives you tide times for Shuwaikh and Shuaiba ports, sea state before you head out, a fish guide, and season information. The catch log lets you record the mark, volume and size grade, and an SOS button is there if something goes wrong offshore.
All of it is free on Google Play, so download the B7R app and get ready before the season opens.
Free on Google Play: Get the B7R app on Google Play