MUSCAT – Under the new regulations, unauthorised entry, hiking, camping, lighting fires, hunting, grazing, drilling, mining, and other activities are prohibited, with fines ranging from RO 50 to RO 250 depending on the violation.

The new regulations aim to protect the reserve’s wildlife and natural environment by controlling access and activities.

The regulations also establish fees for permitted activities, with different rates for Omanis, non-Omanis, and children under 16. Entry fees range from RO 1 for Omanis to RO 3 for non-Omanis; while camping or safaris carry higher charges. Exempted categories are not required to pay fees.

Certain groups are exempt from the permit requirement, including members of the Sultan’s Armed Forces and Royal Oman Police on duty, state employees and academic researchers conducting official work, school students on educational trips, residents of the reserve and their first-degree relatives, and official government delegations. Permit applications are to be submitted to the Authority and decided upon within 30 days, with the right to appeal within 60 days if rejected.

The decision also includes fines for offences such as hunting, polluting water sources, cutting or burning vegetation, using poisons, and introducing invasive species.