June 27 is celebrated as World Fisheries Day across the globe, as well as in Azerbaijan, which possesses rich aquatic bioresources and ancient maritime traditions.
According to sea-news.az this remarkable day was established by the decision of the international conference on fisheries regulation and development held in Rome in 1984, and has been regularly celebrated since 1985. The core philosophy of the holiday is the conservation of fish stocks, the maintenance of the ecological balance of water basins, and the sustainable development of aquaculture.
Azerbaijans Target: A Twofold Increase by 2030
Key figures regarding the current situation and strategic targets in the country have been released by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Center under the Ministry of Agriculture:
Current Production: Currently, the annual production volume of commercial aquaculture (artificial fish farming) products across the country stands at approximately 4,000 tons. This indicator meets only a small portion of the domestic market demand for now.
Future Target: According to the state program, doubling the production volume of aquaculture products to at least over 8,000 tons by 2030 has been set as the main strategic target.
State Support and Concessions Are Coming to the Fisheries Sector
To stimulate the rapid development of the sector, a large-scale reform package is being prepared by the government. According to the Ministry of Agriculture’s project, the following mechanisms will be implemented in the near future:
Direct Subsidies and Concessions: In the initial stage, the implementation of subsidies directly tied to the volume of production (calculated by kilograms or tons) is planned. At the same time, customs and tax concessions are envisaged for the import of specialized materials and technological equipment used in fisheries into the country.
Agricultural Credit and Insurance Mechanism: To ensure the financial accessibility of aquaculture entities, the provision of low-interest agricultural loans and the creation of a specialized agricultural insurance system to protect against climate and ecological risks are intended.
Simplification of Legislation: To accelerate the flow of investment into the sector, the procedures for formalizing and licensing the activities of aquaculture farms will be simplified, and bureaucratic obstacles will be eliminated.
Modernization and New Enterprises
To fully meet the demand of the Caspian Sea and inland freshwater basins for breeding material, existing hatcheries under the Ministry of Agriculture will be reconstructed in accordance with world standards. Along with this, the construction of fully modern, state-of-the-art aquaculture enterprises will be carried out through public-private partnerships in different regions of the republic with high fisheries potential.
