The Government's policy to allocate only non-arable land for aquaculture development and to provide water only part of the year when the supply is inadequate for both agriculture and aquaculture calls for the following objectives in order of priority:
Improving productivity from existing carp farms
Screening and selection of endemic and exotic species for fish culture
Expanding the areas under freshwater culture where land and water are available and climatic conditions are favourable (e.g. Khuzestan Province)
Increasing the productivity of aquaculture-assisted fisheries in reservoirs and suitable natural water bodies
The development of brackish water (shrimp) aquaculture
The development of marine finfish aquaculture
The development programme designed to implement the above short-, mid-and long-term strategy must incorporate, as a first priority, the technical upgrading of Shilat staff, from technicians to researchers, in the major disciplines of aquaculture, including production systems and production management, fish nutrition, feed development and feeding practices, pathology, genetics and economics. Secondly, a strong extension service must be developed to provide effective assistance to farmers. Thirdly, research priorities must be refocused as necessary to facilitate the achievement of development targets and close coordination must be ensured between IFRTO and the Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Division for this purpose.
What follows are the major actions to be undertaken to ensure a fast and sustainable development of aquaculture in IRI. If Shilat concurs with the proposals made by the mission, they should be further elaborated by additional assistance which could be made available under the framework of the UTF project. They are numbered following the same order of priority indicated at the beginning of Section 6.1 and are considered both on the basis of their focus (development or reserch) and in relation to the urgency for their implementation.
Objective 1: Improving Yields from Existing Freshwater Farms
Short-Term Development Focus
The establishment of an effective aquaculture extension service
This activity should include the establishment of field facilities for production testing, demonstration and hands-on training of extension staff; provision of vehicles and equipment and training courses for extension staff and farmers. A development project is suggested for this activity, to include a carp polyculture expert and an extension specialist.
In-depth survey of agricultural feeds
The survey should focus on the geographic distribution of individual fertilizers and feed resources, the quantities available, the seasonal fluctuations in availability, current use patterns, costs, etc., as baseline information for the development of appropriate feeds, fertilization and feeding strategies and cost-effective use of feeds for improving fish yields from ponds. Technical assistance will be required for the survey. Short-term training courses should be prepared by the selected expert on feeds and feeding practices aimed at improving current practices.
Evaluation of the potential for integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems
This activity should be carried out with external technical assistance. The study should identify possibilities for the integration of carp polyculture with animal husbandry (duck-cum-fish and poultry-cum-fish), production of advanced fingerlings in rice paddies, multiple use of irrigation water, etc., and draft a project proposal for the testing of the selected systems.
Introduction of Chinese hatcheries for mass propagation of carp
This activity, to be implemented as soon as possible, should, once demonstrated by Shilat, provide an incentive to the private sector to start supplying fish seed to the market thus releasing the pressure from Shilat hatcheries, which by adopting the same systems, could be more effective in their production of seed for restocking of reservoirs and natural waters.
Short-Term Research Focus
Improvement of existing carp polyculture system
- Collection of data (in cooperation with the Aquaculture Division) on current carp culture practices;
- Standardization of practices according to local conditions;
- Evaluation of alternate production systems for increasing production rates (mixed-age stocking and multiple harvesting; “multigrade” culture; intensive systems using higher stocking, pelleted feed and aeration, etc.). Results of research should be transferred to the Aquaculture Division for testing at field stations.
Research activities should be accompanied by short-term training courses for researchers on related topics (e.g. carp production systems and technology, use of feeds and feeding requirements, carrying capacities of ponds, etc.). Technical assistance is recommended for the development of the research programme and related training.
Genetic improvement of broodstock and broodstock management
- Establishment of research cooperation with the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Teheran for the determination of genetic purity and traits of carps;
- Genetic screening of carp broodstock at public and private hatcheries where poor fry performance is reported;
- Establishment of genetics laboratory and research programme at the Aquaculture Research and Training Centre, Sad-e-Sangar.
- Training courses for research staff on:
quantitative genetics (at the University of Teheran).
Mid-Term Research Focus
The screening of endemic and exotic species for aquaculture
This activity is aimed at the reorientation of research on endemic species and the preliminary screening of alternate exotic species. Species should be screened on the basis of economic and technical criteria including market price and demand, age-weight data, feasibility of controlled reproduction in captivity, etc. Exotic species should also be screened according to internationally accepted criteria for fish introductions. Technical assistance will be needed to train staff on screening procedures and computer programmes, assist in the screening of major species and for establishment of international guidelines for introductions.
Objective 2: Expanding Areas under Freshwater Fish Culture
This mid-term priority objective with a clear development focus is secondary to the improvement of current production practices, in view of the policy of IRI government to reserve land and water for agricultural uses. Nevertheless there are actions required which should be implemented with a mid-term horizon:
Site selection and zoning for aquaculture; an activity which should allow Shilat to determine in advance which areas are suitable for aquaculture development and which should allow their separation in development planning for aquaculture purposes.
Establishment of a unit in the Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Division of Shilat to follow the development of the aquaculture industry (a statistical unit) and the reactions of the domestic markets to the increase in the supplies derived both from the improvement of the aquaculture practices and from those coming from culture based fisheries in reservoirs and natural waters. The availability within Shilat of such capabilities should permit a progressive development of new areas without endangering the viability of the industry, by regulating the release of new land for fish culture.
Objective 3: Increasing Production From Stocking of Reservoirs and Inland Waters
This is a mid-term objective with both a research and development focus. FAO should be approached at the earliest to provide assistance in the formulation of a project for that specific purpose. The project should aim at:
- Survey and classification of reservoirs and inland waters of the IRI, and
- the development of a programme of work including:
establishment of a monitoring programme for stocking;
- implementation of pilot scale activities in a few reservoirs for verification of the criteria selected to enhance production in resevoirs and inland waters.
Objective 4: The Development of Brackishwater Aquaculture
This objective is a mid-term development priority and should be approached through a special techinical assistance project, to be formulated at the earliest, combining both a research and development focus, with the following purposes:
- Continuation of shrimp culture trials;
- Techno-economic screening of endemic and exotic culture species;
- Identification of coastal aquaculture sites for the selected species;
- Manpower development through training courses on:
management of brackishwater ponds.
Objective 5: The Development of Marine Finfish Culture
This should be a long-term objective, as it cannot be expected to have a significant impact in fish supply in the near/mid term future. Shilat should initially focus on:
- Screening (technical as well as economic) of species for culture - this should be preferably done through reviews of the experience in other countries with similar species or similar physical conditions before funds are spent in production tests in IRI;
- The identification of suitable culture systems for selected species;
- Survey for suitable development sites for the selected systems;
- Identification of necessary research and production testing facilities;
- The preparation of a programme of research and/or production testing;
- Survey of wild fry of selected endemic species;
- The training of research staff on:
hatchery and water system design and operation.
Training of staff on hatchery and production procedures should await the construction of facilities.
In dealing with the various short-, mid-and long-term priorities identified above, technical assistance would be necessary to accelerate as much as possible the process of development of aquaculture in IRI. Additional technical assistance is recommended for:
The establishment (design and equipping) of other specialized aquaculture research laboratories (pathology, pond chemistry, etc.).
Preparation of updated material for training courses at various levels.
Review, evaluation and upgrading of university curriculum for aquaculture.
Establishment of rules and procedures for the introduction of aquatic species.
There is an urgent need to upgrade in-country university curricula in aquaculture and to continue and expand Shilat's current drive for post-graduate education of staff abroad. Short term in-country training courses, linked to immediate needs in support of development objectives, are needed in the meantime for most staff, from extension technicians to researchers and should be given immediate priority. A major effort is also needed to improve existing libraries and to translate key information into the Farsi language. The training of farmers should be improved, through the proposed extension service, the upgrading of training manuals and the inclusion of demonstrations and hands-on training at Shilat fish farms.
Facilitate procurement of equipment and supplies needed for increasing productivity of fish farms.
Resolve the problem of jurisdiction over lakes with the environmental agency to permit development and the proper management of fish stocks and fisheries.
FAO, 1987. Agroclimatological data for Asia. Volume 1. A-J. FAO Plant Production and Protection Series, No.25, FAO, Rome, 1987
FAO, 1989. FAO Yearbook on Fishery Statistics, Volume 68. FAO, Rome, 1989
Yap, W.G. and M. Gharibria, 1992. Report on the initial operation of the Shilat shrimp culture station, Kollahi, spring-summer, 1992. Shrimp Culture Development, Islamic Republic of Iran, IRA/89/041
