The current economics of fisheries (fishery and aquaculture) in Guilan, Mazandaran and Golestan provinces

Regarding the natural potential and socio-economic advantages of aquaculture development, extension of aquaculture has been raised as one of the priorities of the second to fifth national programs of the Islamic Republic of Ira in the fisheries sector in the past ten years. Proliferation and aquaculture development also plays an important role in increasing employment, exportation, and rural development in rural areas. Although the physical capacities of aquaculture development may be clear, it is necessary to analyze the profitability of farmers and fish market as well. In recent years, reproduction and breeding of new species, in order to increase the income of farmers, have been put on the agenda of the Fisheries Research Institute. In order to increase the maximum utilization of production capacity and increase the warm water pond valume per unit area of land, three species of Indian carp has been imported. The main problems of aquaculture economical research include inadequate information and lack of the collaboration between different experts and aquaculture farmers. The objective of the research was to survey of economical aspects for culturing the imported Indian carp. The fingerlings of the imported species were transferred to the target centers, Southern aquaculture Research institute and Inland waters Aquaculture Research institute. The experiment was carried out as three treatments in triplicates for 9 months. To determine the cost of production and the share of the cost of production factors for farmed fish carp, including the cost of labor, cost of fingerlings, feed and fertilizer costs, maintenance costs, energy costs, depreciation of structures, equipment and buildings for administrative and other costs; past experiences, information and other resources and external experiences questionnaire was employed

Echoenvironmental survey on fisheries site selection in the Guilan, Mazandaran and Golestan province

The lack of sustainable management programs has resulted in the drastic decline of sturgeons stocks in the Caspian Sea in the past two decades. Legal catch quotas for all Caspian littoral states has dropped from 28500 tons in 1985 to 460 tons in 2007 while caviar production in the Caspian Sea during the same period decreased from 3000 tons to 70 tons. Caviar production in the I.R. of Iran dropped from 305 tons in 1985 to about 11 tons in 2007. The "Strategic and applied research planning for sturgeon management and conservation" was developed with the collaboration of academicians from universities, researchers, experts, fishery authorities and representatives of the executive government to maintain sustainable development and rational management of sturgeon stocks in the Caspian Sea. The preparation and development of this planning was carried out through 121 sessions (2100 person hours) A comprehensive report (375 pg) was prepared which was divided into five volumes; Volume I comprises an introduction, objectives, strategies and planning, present status of production and caviar harvest, catch and export quotas, revenue generated and release of sturgeon fingerlings, Volume II comprises analysis of the problem by constructing a problem tree with 8 broad categories to analyze 344 problems and an objective tree which is the hierarchic flowchart of objectives with 9 broad categories with 241 items, Volume III comprises a review and analysis of previous and ongoing research (414 projects) on different aspects of sturgeon during the past 40 years, Volume IV comprises prioritizing research objectives outlined by the objective tree and finally Volume V which prioritizes primary objectives for 14 executive and 10 research programs. On the basis of the evaluation of the present status and for the sustainable development and rational management of sturgeon stocks a strategic and applied research planning program was proposed and developed within the framework of three primary objectives; 1) Management and sustainable use of Caspian Sea resources (5 programs), 2) Rehabilitation and restoration of stocks (5 programs), 3) Development of aquaculture (4 programs). The applied research program for each proposed executive program was outlined in 10 programs, 42 comprehensive plans and 222 projects. The primary objective on management and sustainable use of Caspian Sea resources includes 5 programs, 14 comprehensive plans and 63 projects, while the primary objective on rehabilitation and restoration of stocks includes 4 programs, 16 comprehensive plans and 87 projects. The primary objective to address sturgeon aquaculture includes 1 program, 12 comprehensive plans and 72 projects. The impacts and outcome of each of these programs was determined and presented. It is evident that if the present situation persists, the catch figures for adult sturgeon specimens and caviar production in Iran will reach zero in 2021. But if concerted efforts are taken and the proposed strategic and applied research planning program is executed (commencing from 2009) we can put a halt to these declining trends. By producing sturgeon fingerlings to restore population abundances, by conserving and protecting them in the Caspian Sea and by conducting applied research we can produce 206.4 tons of caviar by the year 2033. Apart from harvesting caviar from the Caspian Sea we can also annually produce 3000 tons sturgeon meat and 60 tons farmed caviar starting from the year 2023. The total budget proposed for implementation of this program for a period of 14 years (2008-2022) is USD 2483 million. If this budget is allocated in time and the proposed strategic program is properly and totally implemented, we can not only save many sturgeon populations from extinction but also ensure job opportunities for 6000 fisherman, provide 1480 new job opportunities and annually produce 266 tons of caviar which will generate USD 4957 million