The Iraqi Fishery Section was previously under the administration of the Director General of Agriculture Research and Projects in the Ministry of Agriculture, but in 1966 it became a Fishery Department in the same Ministry. The Department is headed by a director: Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim Al-Hamid, assisted by Mr. Issam Al-Malaika, both trained fishery biologists. In addition, there is a staff of five persons. The Department has its own office building, located approximately 15 kilometers from the centre of Baghdad. However, it will shortly move into a newly constructed building close by with office accommodation and a laboratory.
Fishing activities in Iraq may be divided geographically into two main groups: inland water fisheries and marine fisheries.
The inland water fisheries may be divided into the following four divisions:
Fishing in rivers and dams
Fishing in reservoirs and marshes
Fishing in lakes
Fishing in ponds
Altogether, the inland waters of Iraq cover an area of more than 20,000 square kilometers of rivers and streams. Various species are caught in inland waters.
Those which are of economic and commercial value and which are being brought to the markets are the following:
| Local name | Scientific name |
| Shabout | Barbus grybus |
| Binni | Barbus sharpeyi |
| Gattan | Barbus xanthapterus |
| Bizz | Barbus esocinus |
| Himri | Barbus luteus |
Marine fisheries are carried out in the Gulf off Fao, and the main catches consist of the following species of commercial value:
| Zubeidi | Stromateus cinereus |
| Z'bur | Hilsa ilishia |
| Shannegh | Sparus datnia |
| Hoeff | Decapterus russeli |
| M'zlak el tin | Synaptura orientalis |
For marine as well as inland water fisheries, the following types of gear are used: drift nets, gillnets, cast nets, dragnets, dip nets crossbow nets, various kinds of lines, pikes and arrows with sharp hooks, and fish traps. Some nets are still made of cotton, but increased use is being made of synthetic fibres such as nylon. Readymade nets of nylon are imported by the Government and sold to the fishermen through a government agency. Only fishermen who have a fishing licence can obtain nets through this medium.
The fishing craft operating in the Gulf off Fao are the locally made sambuk which is about 30 feet long, fitted with engines up to 90 hp, and locally made canoes. In inland waters there are mainly local boats, about 15 feet in length, some of which are equipped with outboard engines. Altogether there are more than 3,800 fishing craft registered with the Fishery Department.
The fishermen of Iraq are individualists who are slow to respond to advice. Moreover, in some places, middlemen play a big part in a fisherman's life to such an extent that they are dependent upon them. At present, there are neither fishermen's co-operatives nor fishing or marketing societies in Iraq.
More than 3,500 fishermen are already licensed, and more registrations take place every day. However, there is still a backlog of fishermen who have not yet received their licences, but the Department is doing its utmost to get all full-time fishermen registered.
A new fisheries act was passed in 1965 with the following provisions:
Licensing and technical advice to owners of fish ponds and dams.
Prohibition of the use of chemicals, poisons, explosives and electricity when catching fish.
Prohibition of the use of fishing gear across the whole water, and stipulation of distances between nets not to be less than 100 meters.
Prohibition of fishing in certain areas throughout the year in order to preserve fish stocks.
Prohibition of the use of fishing nets with meshes less than 6.5 centimeters.
(a) Prohibition of fishing Shabout and Gattan less than 40 centimeters long
(b) Prohibition of fishing Binni less than 30 centimeters long
(c) Prohibition of fishing Indonesian and Japanese carp less than 30 centimeters long
(d) Prohibition of sale of fish smaller than the sizes stipulated above by wholesalers and retailers
Licensing wholesalers and retailers.
Licensing those who deal in the fishing net industries.
Renewing old and issuing new licences to full-time fishermen.
Furthermore, the Government reserves the right to take any measure necessary to improve the situation as to resource preservation and exploitation, distribution and marketing of fish.
There are no figures obtainable on prices or price formation through the different stages of the trade. Prices vary from season to season, and according to size, quality, and freshness of the fish. What with the hot climate, the absence of fish boxes and lack of proper storage, processing and marketing facilities, the whole trade is subject to great fluctuations, and a large share (estimated at approximately 20 per cent) of the consignments are spoiled. Consequently, prices obtained by the fishermen are very low (approximately 60 fils per kilogram on average) compared with retail prices (ranging from 200 to 900 fils per kilogram, according to species, season and quality).
Improvements in the handling of fish, both at sea and ashore, provision of suitable storage, transport and marketing facilities from the time the fish is landed until it reaches the consumer, together with the institution of a more rational marketing organisation aiming at reducing the present influence of middlemen on supplies made available and price formation are desirable in order to achieve the following objectives:
Better utilization of present landings through reduced spoilage, improved quality and more efficient balancing of supply against demand.
Higher prices to fishermen at lower consumer prices through reduced spoilage, fluctuations, cost and profit margins.
An orderly and rational marketing of increased future catches.
The expert visited several landing places during his stay in Iraq, from the southern part of the country in Fao to the northern part at Habbaniya Lake. In each part of the country the fishermen land their boats on the banks of rivers, lakes, or on the beaches. Wading ashore they carry their fish to the fish merchants waiting with their lorries. The catches are either sold by piece or by weight. The latter rather seldom. It is the merchants or the middlemen who choose a suitable place, and the fishermen have to take their catches there even though it may be far away from the fishing grounds.
No landing piers or storage facilities ashore were seen anywhere in Iraq.
Iraq has a net of good asphalt trunk roads, and consignments of fish are usually sent by trucks to their various destinations. Fish are taken to the markets in open “pick-ups”. They are kept on a platform together with some large chunks of ice and covered either by straw mats or by canvas.
The fish are usually taken to the nearest wholesale market either for sale there or for local consumption or for transport to other wholesale markets. It is not unusual for fish brought ashore in Fao to be sent to market in Baghdad.
Transport from wholesale markets to retailers is done in various ways, such as in pick-ups, private cars, by bicycle or cart, and some fish are even carried in jute bags. The expert saw no fish boxes being used for transporting fish.
There are seven main wholesale markets in Iraq. These markets send reports to the Fishery Department every month. They are based on daily records. Statistical statements made by the Fishery Department are calculated from these reports. The seven markets are: Baghdad, Basrah, Fao, Amarah, Nasariya, Hilla and Diwaniya. The expert inspected four of these markets and several retail markets during his assignment.
The capital of Iraq with more than one million inhabitants is situated on both sides of the Tigris river in the centre of the country. The wholesale fish market is located in the western part of the city. Previously, the market was at the riverside, but due to complaints regarding hygiene from the residents in the vicinity, it was transferred to the present locality six or seven years ago.
The market consists of a concrete building, approximately 8 × 70 meters, with several large doorways on one side. In front of the building, there is a square, 10 × 70 meters, built of concrete. Along the whole length of one side of the market hall there are 22 tiled stands. A concrete platform, approximately 30 centimeters above floor level, is situated along the length of the centre of the hall. There are three offices in the market for the use of wholesalers. The market belongs to the Government, which leases it annually to the highest bidder.
According to the records, more than 8,000 tons of fish are sold per annum. The fish are broght to the market from nearly all parts of the country, which have good road connections: from Fao, 700 kilometers to the south, and from Dokan Dam, 400 kilometers to the north. Pick-ups, small and large trucks, some of them covered with roofing, come to the market daily, loaded with fish which is kept on the bare platform of the vehicle. The height of the load sometimes exceeds one meter. The trucks enter the square in front of the building. Some arrive in the afternoon, others during the night. The auction starts in the early morning and is usually completed after two or three hours.
During the auction, the square is crowded with people. The trucks are unloaded by shovelling the fish into wheelbarrows, which are then emptied on the ground of the square. One auctioneer, together with bidders, stand around the heap. Successful bidders put the fish into jute bags and carry them outside the market to their own selling place.
Due to great demand, the price of fish is very high. Even though they may be a little off, they still fetch a good price. A heap of mixed fish, weighing approximately 30–40 kilograms, is sold for ID 2,200 to 6,5001 depending on the species. Eleven Japanese carp, each weighing approximately 3 to 4 kilograms were sold for ID 13,500.
There are two main retail markets for fresh fish in Baghdad, some retail shops and a number of street vendors. There is also an important trade in live fish. Live fish are brought to market in drums and tubs from different sectors near Baghdad, and mainly consumed in restaurants and snackbars which abound in the well-known Abu Nawas Street along the river Tigris. The fish are cooked in a special way on an open fire and the dish seems to be relished by Iraqis and foreigners alike.
There are 35 to 40 private ice-making factories in Baghdad, producing an average of 4,000 blocks daily. The retail price of one block is fixed at 80 fils; the wholesale price 50 fils.
1 Iraqi dinar (ID) = 1,000 fils = U.S.$ 2.80
This town is situated at the mouth of the River Adam near the Persian Gulf, 100 kilometers south of Basrah. Only marine fish are brought ashore, estimated at approximately 500 tons a year.
No landing or storing facilities are available for the fishermen. They take their fish from the boats directly to the waiting trucks. Most of the fish is sent to Basrah, but occasionally, consignments go as far as Baghdad, approximately 700 kilometers away. Some of the fish are taken to local retail markets and sold there. In the retail markets the fish are kept either on the floor or on some large wood or metal trays. Ice is used sparingly. Sanitary conditions are far from satisfactory; market premises are filled with strong odors and swarms of flies. There are three private ice-making factories in Fao, producing 2,500 blocks a day, each block weighing 20 kilograms. Due to great demand during the hot season, the price of one block of ice is 100 fils. (U.S. $14.00 per ton).
The liwa of Basrah has a population of approximately 580,000 inhabitants. Its wholesale market is the second largest in the country, handling some 1,400 tons of fish per annum. The fish market is located on the outskirts of the market area, in a brick building with sheet roofing, measuring 10 × 40 meters, of which only half the space is used for the wholesale trade. The front of the building is open. Even though water facilities are available, washing down floors and walls is done only occasionally. Along the walls there are concrete platforms, 15 centimeters above floor level, on which the fish are placed. During the auction which is held from 5 to 7 a.m. approximately 20 kilograms of fish are shoveled into baskets and sold to bidders.
When the expert visited the market, some fish were still unsold. They were kept on the platforms with little ice and covered with canvas. The fish were already deteriorating. The merchant, however, who owned the fish, would still try to sell them at the next auction.
As soon as the wholesales are finished, the retailers use the same platforms, where the fish were kept during the auction. Some retailers have trays and sprinkle iced water on the fish so as to improve their appearance. Others place their fish near the entrance of the market, uncovered and unprotected from the sun and dirt. The expert inspected some of the fish at 11 a.m. and found the majority decayed to the extent that the bellies had opened.
The market building belongs to the Government which leases it annually to the highest bidder.
There is another retail market in Basrah which is kept in much better condition. Fish are kept on trays fairly high above the floor. The wholesale market is supplied by fish from either Fao or from inland waters. There are 26 wholesalers and 108 retailers who are licensed in Basrah. No information about ice production was obtainable.
The liwa of Amarah has about 350,000 inhabitants. The town is situated near the Tigris.
The fish are taken to the wholesale market by trucks from the marshes and from the river. The wholesale market is an open area surrounded by small stands. The wholesalers keep their fish in insulated boxes until the auction on the following morning. This market is a private one. The Government has a market on the river side, which was closed during the expert's assignment.
Amarah is 350 kilometers south of Baghdad and many consignments of fish are sent to the capital due to better prices obtainable there. However, the Director of the Agriculture Office, the health authorities and the police have decreed that at least one quarter of the total landings must be sold in the district itself.
During his stay in Amarah, the expert visited some parts of the marshes and inspected a collecting place near one of the canals. The fish brought from the marsh were kept in reed huts on reed mats mixed with ice and covered with canvas and jute bags. These reed huts are temporarily erected by the edge of the water and can easily be taken elsewhere when the water rises or falls according to season.
There are eight private ice-making factories in Amarah with a capacity of some 1,000 blocks each per day. However, for the time being, they are run at half capacity only, according to demand. The price of ice in Amarah is 60 fils per block.
There are 29 wholesalers and middlemen and 27 retailers licensed to sell fish in Amarah.
The following statistics are available for the seven main wholesale markets:
| Annual turnover - 1965 | Metric tons | ||
| Marine fish, total | 435 | ||
| Inland water fish: | |||
Shabout | 943 | ||
Binni | 2,516 | ||
Gattan | 2,738 | ||
Bizz | 388 | ||
Mixed fish | 4,878 | ||
Himri | 5 | 11,468 | |
| Total | 11,903 |
Figures for fish sold in small communities along the rivers, marshes, lakes, etc-, and fish from the northern part of Iraq sold there, are not included. However, it is estimated that more than 30,000 tons are produced yearly from the fresh-water fisheries only. The wholesale turnover can be estimated at six million dinars.
Catfish is not used in Iraq and the fishermen usually throw the fish away. However, in Nasariya, four to five exporters have started exporting catfish to Lebanon, and approximately 40 to 50 tons of fish is exported annually. The consignments are sent by lorries, kept on the platform with ice and covered with canvas. The transport takes about 24 hours. The expert was told that the price obtained was not very high due to poor quality.
