Title: Operating a whole sale fish market in the Sultanate of Oman: analysis of external factors

This study analyses the macro-environmental factors surrounding the new fish wholesale market which will be established in Oman. It determines the market stakeholders, their impacts on the market operation and the basic needs and management procedures for efficient market operations. In order to achieve the objectives of this study information was collected based on literature review of reports and related studies about wholesale markets and fish marketing systems. A semi-structure questionnaire was developed to collect related information from the key actors in the Icelandic Fish Auction System. Then two types of analyses were conducted: PESTLE- and stakeholder analysis to determine the external factors and key stakeholders and their impacts on the wholesale market. The main outcomes of this study are that market efficiency will be influenced by many factors such as poor infrastructures in landing centres, large numbers of small scale fishermen and the role of the truckers in the new marketing system. These factors have major impacts on the quantity and quality of fish that will be traded in the markets. There are some basic requirements that need to be considered such as: logistics, government rules and regulations, technology and the stakeholders’ acceptance of the new system to ensure the success of the new market. It is hoped that the market authority would find the results from this study useful to improve the existing condition that may eliminate the development of the new fish wholesale market and to develop a long term plan for operating the market to overcome the market constraints.