FAO.org

Following the general tendency of the successor States to the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics, fishing and the production of fish and fish products in Azerbaijan declined considerably in the early 1990s, with annual fish production falling from more than 20 000 tonnes in the early twentieth century to just 1 570 tonnes by the end of the century. Fish imports into Azerbaijan are relatively stable, while sturgeon and black caviar make up the majority of fish exports. Sudden increases in export volumes can be explained by the different catch quotas for sturgeon in years concerned.

Compared with the global average consumption of fish and fish products, consumption of fish-derived products in Azerbaijan is low as a result of both high product prices determined by insufficient domestic production and the immaturity of the distribution network. Some structural transformations in the sector occurred in 2001, and Azerbaijan has signed a number of international conventions, three of which are related to water resources. Moreover, Azerbaijan is a member of the Commission on Aquatic Bioresources of the Caspian Sea.