Support Marine Cage Culture Development - TCP/IRA/3702

Abstract

The rapid decline in precipitation rates driven by climate change is adversely affecting aquaculture in the Islamic Republic of Iran The total exports from fisheries and the aquaculture sector are significant to the country’s economy and account for approximately one percent of overall national GDP This change in freshwater availability is leading the government to prioritize marine cage culture in order to supply the country with a healthy source of animal protein and an alternative livelihood The cage culture production potential for the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea is an estimated 300 000 150 000 and 450 000 tons respectively Notwithstanding the positive impacts associated with marine cage culture and their high production potentials, there are many hindrances to its development including insufficiencies in incentivising policies, management protocols, appropriate locally produced technologies and cages, machinery, marketing plans for cage culture production, relevant expertise and fingerling species Therefore, to address the aforementioned barriers, the project aimed to increased contribution to aquaculture production through sustainable management of marine cage culture and improve marine cage culture capacities.