Review of fisheries and aquaculture development potentials in Georgia
The present document is a follow-up to previous FAO technical assistance efforts in the sustainable development and management of the fishery and aquaculture sector in Georgia. It aims to call attention to and provide evidences of the fact that fisheries and aquaculture have substantial development potentials in Georgia. The country is rich in both marine and inland water resources, but the potentials of the fishery and aquaculture sector are far from being exploited.
The country could multiply its fish production through improvements in the administration and supervision of marine fisheries and through enhanced implementation of the rules and regulations of inland fisheries together with reliable culture-based fisheries supported by well-managed hatcheries. The review emphasizes that efficient and sustainable exploitation of potentials requires the concerted and coordinated attention and actions of decision-makers in the government administration and all actual and potential stakeholders of the Georgian fisheries and aquaculture sector. In order to achieve a tangible improvement, the following entry points have been identified and actions proposed.
In the field of marine capture fisheries quick action is needed on assistance, to obtain export certification for fresh and processed Black Sea anchovy and to upgrade and optimize the fisheries inspection. Facilitating investment loans for the fishing fleet is another urgent task. The most obvious entry points for the development of inland fisheries and aquaculture are: finalization of the databases of surface water resources, survey of fish farm facilities, establishment of a reliable fish seed production network and rehabilitation of the Geguti Sturgeon Hatchery.
In sector management, an updated administrative structure and upgraded Georgian fisheries laws and regulations could fix existing loopholes and provide for sustainable development and responsible management of aquatic resources. The review also presents the widest possible range of data and information in order to facilitate the identification and utilization of further areas of fisheries and aquaculture development in the country. To that end, detailed lists of actual and potential natural and social resources are presented and discussed, together with the most important determining factors of sector administration, management and business performance. Keywords: water resources, fish fauna, marine and inland fisheries, aquaculture, sustainable development potentials, sector administration and management, Georgia, Caucasus