February 5, 2007

Sturgeon farms to be built in all northern Iranian cities

Iran, which has been intensifying its efforts to expand aquaculture production, has announced that it would build two sturgeon farming centres in every northern Iranian city,

This meant construction of 80 sturgeon farms in northern Iran, the director of the Iranian Fisheries Organization said Sunday.  Each farm is expected to have an annual caviar production of about five tonnes.

One reason for the huge expansion is due to fact that the Caspian sturgeon population has been plunging. Iran would have to build many sturgeon farms to compensate for the sharp reduction, the Iranian Fisheries Organisation said.

The project would greatly add to Iran's sturgeon meat and caviar export capability, a spokesman from the organization said.