3.1.5 West Asia

Afghanistan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Islamic Republic of Iran,
Iraq, Israel,Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Oman,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey,
United Arab Emirates, Yemen.

Figure 3.1.5.1.
Aquaculture is a fairly recent activity in this geographic area, contributing in 1995 a modest 0.4% and 2.0% of Asian aquaculture production by quantity and value, respectively. However, this masks the considerable importance of the sector in local production of food fish in some countries--77% of total production in Israel, 62% in Iraq and 48% in the Syrian Arab Republic. Since 1984, production has increased at an APR of 7.7, from 39,000 mt to 89,000 mt in 1995 (127% change). Production value grew at an APR of 18.1, from about US$113 million to US$704 million during the same period (Figure 3.1.5.1). Total production in 1995 increased by about 11,000 mt (14%) and US$70.7 million (11.2%) over 1994, compared to respective global increases of 10% by weight and 5.2% by value. By contrast, production from capture fisheries increased by 423,000 mt (42.4%) at an APR of 3.3 during 1984-95; landings in 1995 were up by 117,000 mt (9%) over 1994. The contribution of aquaculture to fish production in the region increased from 3.8% in 1984 to 5.8% in 1995.

Figure 3.1.5.2.
Ten of the 16 countries of the area report aquaculture production, with five accounting for 96% of the total quantity produced in 1995 (Figure 3.1.5.2). The Islamic Republic of Iran dominated production quantity, but its share decreased from 47% in 1984 to 32% in 1995, due to a relatively slower growth rate (APR 4.1), the second lowest among the main producers. Growth in production since 1984 has been dramatic in Saudi Arabia (APR 52.5), Turkey (APR 23) and Cyprus (APR 20), albeit from low initial values. As a result of the fast growth rate of the sector in Turkey, the country replaced Israel as the second largest producer as of 1994. Production has been static in Israel since 1988 (1984-95 APR 3), while in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the 1988 production level was exceeded only in 1995. In the Syrian Arab Republic, production is yet to exceed 1992 levels.

Production during 1984-95 was mainly from freshwater (100% in 1984; 88% in 1995) with an APR of about 7 over the period; in 1995, production was up 13% over 1994. During the period, production from brackishwater and marine environments increased from nil to 11% by quantity and 20% by value (10,000 mt, US$135 million) in response to scarcity of freshwater and/or the lure of better profitability from high-value species.

Figure 3.1.5.3.
Finfish account for almost the entire aquaculture output from the area, with freshwater finfish the main group produced throughout 1984-95 (APR 4.9). In 1995, finfish production (8,000 mt) was up about 11,000 mt (14%) over 1994. Cyprinids accounted for about 46.3% (41,000 mt) of production in 1995 (Figure 3.1.5.3), up 7.4% on 1994, with Israel, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq and Syrian Arab Republic the main producers. Salmonids (trouts) contributed 18% (16,000 mt), up 67% on 1994 (due mainly to a reported sharp increase in Turkey), with Turkey as the main producer. Tilapias accounted for 10%, or about 9,000 mt (up 3.6% on 1994), mainly from Israel and Saudi Arabia. Concerning marine finfish, gilthead seabream (Sparus auratus) contributed 6% (5,000 mt), down 15% from 1995; Mediterranean seabass (Dicentrarchus spp.) 4% (4,000 mt), up 40% on 1994; and mullets (mainly Mugil cephalus) 1% (1,000 mt), up 39% on 1995, with Turkey as the main producer. Production of about 200 mt of marine shrimp, Penaeus monodon and P. indicus, was reported in 1995, almost exclusively from Saudi Arabia.

Figure 3.1.5.4a.
During 1984-95, carp production by weight grew at a modest APR of 4.4. Output in 1995 was 8% below peak production in 1988, due to a decrease in common carp and grass carp production (21% and 40%, respectively), in the main producing countries of Israel and Islamic Republic of Iran, attributed to market saturation (common carp and silver carp in Israel; Sarig, 1994; Mires, 1995; Sarig, 1995) and production problems in the Islamic Republic of Iran (disease outbreaks and poor survival of grass carp fingerlings, and poor growth of silver carp attributed to hybridization) (Figure 3.1.5.4a; FAO, 1992; Matinfar and Nikouyan, 1995). Tilapia production grew at an APR of 9 but declined sharply in 1992, due to cold weather in Israel (main producer), and recovered slowly to about 1991 levels by 1995 (Sarig, 1994; Mires, 1995; Figure 3.1.5.4b).

Figure 3.1.5.4b.

Production in the main producing countries is mainly in earthen ponds, with the exception of Turkey, where cages are used for culture of marine finfish, and Israel, where multi-purpose reservoirs accounted for about 46% of the surface area used for aquaculture in 1995 (Sarig, 1996). Polyculture systems predominate in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel and Iraq.

Aquaculture products are consumed locally, except in Turkey, where a large part of marine finfish production is exported to Italy, Greece and northern Europe.

With the bulk of production coming from freshwater aquaculture, expansion of production is limited by the scarcity of freshwater due to the priority allocation of water and land to agriculture in most countries, or to competition with more profitable uses of available water resources (FAO 1992; Dr. I. Krouma (Syrian Arab Republic), personal communication). The restricted availability of freshwater is consequently influencing the type of production systems used in aquaculture and the approach to aquaculture development. This is most evident in Israel, where competition for water, combined with market factors, has resulted in an important shift from traditional shallow fish ponds to fish culture in multipurpose reservoirs, which have proven to be more productive than ponds (Sarig, 1996). In addition, use of intensive culture systems incorporating water recycling to reduce water use (mainly for tilapia culture) is increasing slowly, as is offshore cage culture of marine finfish.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, natural resource limitations have led to the concentration of freshwater aquaculture in the northern provinces where water supplies are less restricted; the focus of development efforts is on increasing productivity from existing farms, intensified enhancement of fisheries in the Caspian Sea, and fish stocking in reservoirs and inland waters (FAO, 1992). The country is also very actively developing coastal (brackishwater and marine) aquaculture (Nash, 1997). The Syrian Arab Republic is meeting the challenge in several ways: by using saline soils around irrigation systems, as a productive approach to desalinization of soils; improving carp production from cage culture in Lake Assad; integrating aquaculture with agriculture in the middle Euphrates basin, including fish culture in irrigation canals; and by developing cage culture of marine finfish (Kelleher, 1996; Lisac, 1996) .

Saudi Arabia, where freshwater supply is very limited, has been using intensive recycling systems for tilapia production, often with irrigation water for agriculture, and has been experimenting with adapting technology for tilapia culture in seawater. It is also expanding shrimp culture along the Red Sea coast and is developing technologies for culture of selected marine finfish and shrimp (groupers, rabbitfish, Penaeus indicus, etc.) (Shehadeh, 1996; James et al., 1997).

Since aquaculture is a very recent activity in most countries of the region, institutional capacity is a limiting factor in some areas. Hence strengthening of institutional capacity, including human resources, supporting industries, extension services/access to information, improving capacity of farmers, transfer and adaptation of technology, etc. are priority development targets (Matinfar and Nikouyan, 1995; Shehadeh, 1996; IFRTO, 1997). These efforts will help to expand production in the future.

In Israel, market saturation has been observed for carps, which constitute more than half of the production from aquaculture, and consumer reaction to lower prices has been poor (Mires, 1995).

As stated earlier, aquaculture is a major source of food fish in Israel, Syrian Arab Republic and Iraq, and is being developed to increase its contribution to food supplies as landings from capture fisheries level off. Other countries in the region, like the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia, where aquaculture is not of equal importance in food fish supplies at present, are also moving to develop aquaculture in anticipation of future stagnation of supplies from capture fisheries.

Production in Israel is projected to increase by about 13% in 1996, followed by a 5% annual increase to the year 2000; that is, an increase of 6,000 mt, or 38.4% over 1995 production. This will be coupled with efforts at species diversification and increasing production efficiency to reduce market price (Mires, 1995). The Islamic Republic of Iran has more ambitious plans, with a production target of 550,000 mt within 10 years (from 1996), or an increase of more than 1,800% over 1995 (29,000 mt), through expansion of areas under culture, improving productivity of existing farms and making maximum use of the country’s water resources (IFRTO, 1997).

In general, expansion in freshwater aquaculture in the sub-region can be realized to various extents through areal expansion into areas unsuitable for agriculture; improvement of the productivity of existing farms; more intensive use of inland waters (e.g. cage and pen culture and culture-supported fisheries); and by integrated aquaculture-agriculture production systems, including fish culture in irrigation systems. As noted above, most of the countries in the region are already taking steps in these directions. The adoption of intersectoral co-ordination in the management of natural resources, coupled with promising market conditions, could facilitate the success of these initiatives in many countries of the region by ensuring access of the sector to these resources on a competitive basis.

Major increases in the production of shrimp can be expected in the mid term from Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, as on-going large-scale development projects come into production. Increases in the production of gilthead seabream and Mediterranean seabass will depend on market development in Europe and expansion of domestic markets by reducing production cost and market price. Production of Mediterranean seabass may increase significantly in the mid term due to its wider acceptability in Europe, and as some technical problems in its production are resolved. Contributions from the farming of other local marine finfish in the Mediterranean area, the Gulf and the Red Sea can be expected in the long term, as the results of current species diversification efforts in both areas bear fruit.

FAO. 1992. The Islamic Republic of Iran: Report of the aquaculture fact finding mission, TCP/IRA/2251(F)). FAO field document. Rome, FAO.

IFRTO. 1997. Survey and analysis of aquaculture development research priorities in Iran. Paper presented at the FAO/NACA Workshop on Aquaculture Development Research Priorities and Capacities in Asia. Bangkok, Thailand, 21-23 May 1997. Bangkok, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific.

James, C.M., S.A. Al-Thobaiti, R.M. Rasem and M.H. Carlos. 1997. Breeding and larval rearing of the camouflage grouper Epinephelus polyphhekadion (Bleeker) in the hypersaline waters of the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Aquaculture Research 28:671-681.

Kelleher, M.K. 1996. Syrian Arab Republic: Preliminary fisheries sector study with particular reference to policy, planning and management of fisheries. (TCP/SYR/4552(a)). FAO Field Document No. 4.Rome, FAO. 47p.

Lisac, D. 1996. Syrian Arab Republic: Marine aquaculture development. (TCP/SYR/4552(A)). FAO Field Document (in press).

Matinfar, A. And A. Nikouyan, 1995. Islamic Republic of Iran, p.207-226. In Report on a regional study and workshop on the environmental assessment and management of aquaculture development. (TCP/RAS/2253). Bangkok, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific. 491p.

Mires, D. 1995. Israel’s aquaculture 1995: Recent developments and future prospects. Bamidgeh 47(2):78-83.

Nash, C. 1997. Iran aims to be big in shrimp. Fish Farming International, June 1997, p.22.

Sarig, S. 1995. The fish culture industry in Israel in 1994. Bamidgeh 47(2):84-91.

Sarig, S. 1996. The fish culture industry in Israel in 1995. Bamidgeh 48(3):158-164.

Shehadeh, Z.H. 1996. Report of the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Aquaculture.

IOFC Committee for the Development and Management of the Fishery Resources of the

Gulfs. Cairo, Egypt, 1-3 October 1996. Unpublished report. 14p.