Traditional occupations

Wilayat khasab
There are a number of occupations, industries. The principal occupation is fishing followed by animal husbandry, and agriculture - the production of dates, lemons, fruit, vegetables and animal fodder.

The traditional industries are making fishing nets, weapons (known as Jarz), pottery, weaving palm leaves, ship building and weaving.

Wilayat Bukh
The most important occupations are blacksmithery and agriculture,producing dates, citrus fruit and fruit. The traditional industries are making small fishing boats, fishing nets and handicrafts from palm leaves.

Wilayat Dibba
The principal occupation is fishing then agriculture - growing dates, citrus fruit and fruit, in addition to practicing animal husbandry. The most important traditional industries are small ship building, iron working, weaving palm leaves and weaving.

Wilayat Mudha
The Wilayat of Mudha has numerous occupations, industries. Agriculture is at the forefront of the occupations, the most important crops being dates, fruit, citrus fruit, vegetables and wheat, in addition to pasturage and animal husbandry. The most important of the traditional industries are rope making, mats made from palm leaves, sewing, and embroidery etc.

Life may appear to be very bleak when you visit the small fishing villages at the end of the fiords, which you can only reach by boat.  But close up, you can see electricity power lines and a big water tank filled by the Municipality from the desalination plant in Khasab every week.  The children board at school in Khasab from Saturday to Wednesday returning home at weekends.  The communities remain very independent in spirit. Fishing is rich.  Large species abound, such as king fish and tuna.  All over Oman, you will see fishing for very small sardines which are spread on the beaches to dry and then used as animal feed. Khasab makes its money now from the port trade.  Iranians import sheep and goats in small fibre glass hulls with very powerful engines into the local port, where the animals are shipped off to UAE and Saudi Arabia in trucks.  On the return trip, the sailors load their boats with electronic goods and American cigarettes.

Localities have to arrive in Khasab port after sunrise and leave before sunset. Boats gather outside the port in the late afternoon, taking off together at high speed. Fishers have to avoid the Iranian coastguard as well as other shipping in the strait waters; the crossing is dangerous with so many oil-tankers passing to and fro.