Muttrah’s fish market has always been more than just a place for trading. It’s a cultural emblem that anchors the northern end of the old town’s corniche in Muscat. A neighbourhood staple of the everyday life of the local community, the vendors roll out what seems to be the entire ocean each morning.

The first time I visited the Muttrah fish market was in 2010, and while observing the movements and faces of the sellers, I realised the historical importance of the place. As vendors laid out the morning catch on counters hoping to attract potential customers, they told stories to one another – it was a scene I felt would one day become a part of history as there were no young people within sight. Was this to be the last generation keeping the Muttrah fish market alive? Would the market soon disappear, remembered via a nice memorial plate placed at the end of the path along the corniche? Luckily not…..