In 2002, Aqua Farms B.S.C. (c) initiated planning, surveys, and government approvals for a large shrimp farming project in Saudi Arabia to be named Arabian Shrimp Company. 

In May, 2004, the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture and the Arabian Shrimp Company signed a 20-year lease agreement for a 7500 hectare plot on the coast north of Jizan.  The project will include 5000 hectares of shrimp producing ponds and integrated hatcheries and processing plants.  Construction of the ponds for the first stage of 700 hectares began in 2005 with the first crop expected in third quarter 2006.  

The High Health Breeding Center (HHBC) currently has nine working ponds in its domestication program for the indigenous shrimp (p. monodon).  Six additional ponds focus on broodstock development.  Mature gravid females and shrimp weighing up to 45 grams have been produced.  Excess shrimp from the HHBC ponds have been successfully sold on the local market.

The ground and pilings are being prepared for the construction of the shrimp processing plant which will open in the fourth quarter 2006 in Al Qawz, Saudi Arabia.  The training program for labor has been established and is currently in operation for heavy equipment drivers employed in the construction phase. 

The Arabian Shrimp Company continues to work closely with the Ministry of Agriculture to insure adequate environmental controls and with other Jizan government institutions to contribute positively to the economic development of the Jizan area.

Shrimp farming is particularly valuable to the Saudi economy as it makes use of Saudi Arabia’s natural resources in a sustainable fashion to provide a food product welcome at the Saudi table and an export product for international markets.  In conjunction with the vertically integrated shrimp farm Arabian Shrimp Company will build a state of the art processing plant for value-added products for the international and local market.