Observations on prospects for further inland fisheries development in Iran

FI:TCP/IRA/6675
Field Document 2
December 1987

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
OBSERVATIONS ON PROSPECTS FOR FURTHER INLAND FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT IN IRAN

T E C H N I C A L C O O P E R A T I O N P R O G R A M M E

A Mission report prepared for the project
Training in Coldwater Fish Culture

based on the work of

T. Petr
Fishery Resources Officer
Fisheries Department
FAO, Rome

This report was prepared during the course of the project identified on the title page. The conclusions and recommendations given in the report are those considered appropriate at the time of its preparation. They may be modified in the light of further knowledge gained at subsequent stages of the project.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations or the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers.

ABSTRACT

This report, which is based on a short mission to the Islamic Republic of Iran, reviews the present status of inland water fisheries and fish stocks in a diversity of water bodies. The information in this report is based on discussions with the fisheries experts of Iran and on a visit to Gilan, Mazandaran, Khuzestan and Fars Provinces. It is supplemented by data available from literature. The following major topics are considered: Caspian Sea fish stocks, especially sturgeon; Caspian coastal lagoons, lakes and bays; migratory and non-migratory fish of commercial importance, and the effects of river regulation and water diversion on them. The significance of marshes in southern Iran for maintaining valuable migratory fish stocks is also considered. Reservoir fisheries development, especially with regard to the increasingly common practice of stocking hatchery-produced fry and fingerlings of Chinese and common carp, is also discussed and some suggestions for improvement made. The report stresses the need for research and systematic data collection if inland fishery development is to be established on a rational and scientific basis. Two draft project proposals are given in the Annexes to this report: (i) Training course in inland fisheries development, and (ii) Anzali lagoon productivity and fish stocks investigations. Another draft proposal calls for an international meeting on the Caspian Sea fisheries resources which would initiate dialogue and later lead to technical collaboration in various fields of common interest to both coastal states.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome, 1987

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Terms of reference

1.2 Acknowledgements

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3. INLAND FISHERIES STATISTICS

4. NORTHERN IRAN (GILAN AND MAZANDARAN PROVINCES) - CASPIAN SEA BASIN

4.1 Sturgeon

4.2 Caspian coastal lagoons, lakes and bays

4.2.1 Astara lagoon

4.2.2 Anzali lagoon

4.2.3 Lapoo lake

4.2.4 Gorgan Bay and its catchment rivers