The establishment of diplomatic link between Myanmar and Saudi Arabia in recent years has facilitated export of fishes by Myanmar people to that country, the local 7-Day News reported in this week’s issue, quoting the Livestock Breedings and Fisheries Association.

Before, such export formalities had to be done through the Egyptian embassy here.

Saudi Arabia opened its embassy in Yangon in December 2005 and such formalities took effect only recently.

According to the association quoted by another weekly the Voice, Myanmar exported 200 tons of fresh water fishes including a variety of carp each month to Saudi Arabia.

Official statistics show that Myanmar exported 352,652 tons of marine products, gaining 561 million U.S. dollars in the fiscal year of 2007-08 which ended in March, up from 2006-07’s 234 million dollars but stood less against 2007-08’s target which was set at 750 million dollars.

The fishery authorities have projected to raise the export earning to 850 million dollars in the present fiscal year of 2008-09.

China topped Myanmar’s marine export countries, followed by Thailand, Japan and Singapore.

Myanmar’s fishery sector stood the fourth largest contributor to the gross domestic product and also the fourth largest source of foreign exchange earning in the past five years.

Meanwhile, Myanmar is cooperating with a regional organization of the Southeast Asia Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in conducting survey of marine resources in the country’s waters, focusing species with commercial potential.

With a long coastline of over 2,800 kilometers and a total area of 500,000 hectares of swamps along the coast, the country has an estimated sustainable yield of marine products at over one million tons a year.