TEHRAN- The old buildings of the fishery department in the northern Ashuradeh Island in Golestan province, neighboring the Caspian Sea, will be turned into a museum, a provincial tourism chief has said.

The buildings are being restored and the museum is expected to be inaugurated in the near future, Mohammad Nasiri said on Wednesday, CHTN reported.

The office for hunting sturgeons with a long history and being in a suitable position and having old buildings holds the potential to become a tourist hub in the region with the ability to introduce the history of fisheries and the sturgeon industry in the country, the official added.

He also noted that turning such old buildings into museums can lead to attracting more tourists, boost the local economy and increase the locals’ income as well as provide a suitable environment for researchers in the field of fishing, maritime and aquaculture

Ashuradeh, Iran’s sole island in the Caspian Sea, is one of the main areas for fishing sturgeon, the species that provide caviar. Over 40 percent of Iran's caviar is produced near the island.

Ashuradeh was introduced and registered as one of the world’s first biosphere zones in 1975.

The island is covered with raspberry bushes, thorns, and pomegranate trees, and is home to wildlife species of jackals, foxes, rabbits, and hosts a variety of native and migratory birds throughout the year.

ABU/MG