A number of studies are available on inland fisheries of Iran, which assess their potential and put forward suggestions for improvement and development. Vladykov (FAO, 1964) during his 18 months assignment in 1961–1962, concentrated on inland fisheries resources especially of the Caspian Sea, with special reference to sturgeon. Numann (1969) assessed the fishery potential and possibilities of fishery management for reservoirs existing in the 1960s, and for some rivers and streams especially suitable for cold water fish. Ivanov (FAO/UN, 1971) during the 18-month period between February 1970 and August 1971 advised and assisted the Government of Iran with the technical and economic feaseibility of fish culture, and advised on some other fishery developments, such as cold-water fish establishment in the Lar River reservoir, stocking of common carp and sefid mahi (kutum) in a new reservoir on the Neka River and on fish culture in rice fields and in numerous small village reservoirs in lowlands along the Caspian Sea, etc.
El-Zarka (1973) summarized the current fishery of the Caspian Sea and inland fisheries. He noted that inland fishery resources are not adequately exploited. In 1977, in another FAO Mission. Clay and El-Zarka (1977) investigated the potential for fish production in the existing man-made lakes and estimated that the total yield from all large reservoirs could be 2027 tonnes/year. Although few employment opportunities would result from such reservoir fisheries development, the fish yield achieved would be almost equal to half of the fish landings from the Persian Gulf coast which they reported as being 5000 t (excluding shrimp and tuna) in 1974/75.
Caddy (FAO, 1984) pointed out that the underutilized stock of Kilka in the Caspian Sea was largely due to problems in marketing and utilizing the fish, and he estimated that up to 50 000 t could be harvested annually. He suggested that as there would not be a market for these fish, a better alternative utilization of Kilka would be through predators such as pike perch and Caspian salmon, and these should deserve priority for restocking through hatchery-fingerling production. He also drew attention to deterioration of Anzali Lagoon as a fish spawning and nursery habitat, due to recent inappropriate ameliorative measures. Woynarovich (1985) reviewed the status of freshwater fish culture, in particular of fry/fingerling production and the availability of feeds, and during his second visit to Iran in 1986 he executed a fish-culture and extension training course.
During recent years the Fisheries Department (Shilat), the private sector and the Jehad organization made considerable effort to speed up fish culture development. During 1984–1986 there were 421 licences issued to private fish culture companies. The target is to produce within the next 10 years 100 000 tonnes of cultured fish from about 35 000 ha of inland water bodies. In addition to the existing five propagation centres producing currently about 100 million fingerlings, five more centers, with a capacity of 67 million, are under construction. Part of the seed produced is stocked in open waters, i.e., reservoirs, lakes and rivers. In this way, aquaculture in Iran has become an integral part of inland capture fisheries development.
During the field part of the present Mission, a number of natural water bodies, reservoirs and hatcheries/fish farms were visited (see Travel Itinerary, Annex 1). The results of observations and discussions with the fishery specialists, supplemented with information from literature, have been amalgamated into the present report. The report deals with the following major aspects: (i) Caspian Sea, coastal lagoons, lakes and bays, and small reservoirs in the Gilan and Mazandaran provinces; (ii) migratory and non-migratory fish of commercial importance; (iii) reservoir considerations; (iv) inland fisheries in Khuzestan and Fars Provinces; (v) fisheries research. Two draft project proposals have been formulated, i.e. for a training course in inland fisheries development (Annex 3) and for Anzali Lagoon productivity and fish stocks investigations (Annex 4). A proposal for holding an international meeting on fishery resources of the Caspian Sea basin (Annex 5) is also put forward and organizational assistance by FAO recommended.
