FAO.org

Animal protein deficiencies are wide-spread in both rural and urban Iran. One means of increasing low-cost protein foods is the production of fish. The Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf are at present the main sources of fresh fish, but the catches of such favoured inland fishes as the whitefish and souf have declined to very low levels.

Development of inland fisheries can provide much of the needed protein. To do this there is need to investigate the possibilities of fish culture and management of inland waters. Trained personnel are needed and a fish culture training and research centre could provide this personnel.

In this project, a search was made in the Caspian plains, the Tabriz, Isfahan, and Shiraz areas for sites where fish cultural stations, village fish ponds, and large community ponds could be built. The report contains descriptions of these sites, and the results of water analyses of their water supplies.

The Iranian trout and Caspian “salmon” programme is reviewed and suggestions made for its development.

At present, there are no rice fields in either the Caspian plains or the Persian Gulf area used for the protection of fish. In the Caspian area, only one crop of rice is grown annually and after the harvest in late August and early September the fields remain idle until the spring plantings areas were selected near Amol where demonstration rice fields culture could be undertaken.

Some information is presented on the investigations of inland, fresh waters and water quality control.

The need for a single Department of Fisheries to obtain a coordinated programme for the development and management of the inland waters of Iran is indicated.