TEHRAN – Iran has allocated 490 billion rials (about $11.66 million) for the construction of new fishing ports at the country’s southern coasts, an official with Iran Fisheries Organization (IFO) announced.

According to Parviz Mohebi, of the mentioned allocation, so far 270 billion rials (about $4.62 million) has been paid, IRNA reported on Monday.

Mohebi put the total number of fishing ports along the southern coast of the country at 70, saying that 15 such ports are currently under construction along the mentioned coastline.

“Unfortunately, due to the delay in allocation of funds, the construction process of these ports is slow and the physical progress of the mentioned projects varies between 30 percent and 70 percent,” he said.

According to the official, the total length of the country’s southern coastline including the island coasts is estimated to be 5,800 kilometers (km), along which there are 120 fishery unloading centers.

He further noted that so far, the management of 42 fishing ports in the south of the country has been entrusted to fishing cooperatives.

Mohebi stated that the purpose of handing over the management of fishing ports to fishing cooperatives is to encourage the cooperatives and the fishermen themselves to participate in some activities, such as providing the required manpower and infrastructure.

According to official statistics, the country's fishery production has increased by more than 40 times in the years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution (1979), which shows an accelerating trend in the country’s aquaculture industry.

According to Iran Fishery Organization (IFO) Head Nabiollah Khoun-Mirzaei, the country’s fishery export stood at 146,000 tons worth $538.9 million in the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 19, 2020), while the import was 29,000 tons valued at $98.9 million, so Iran’s fishery trade balance was $440 million positive in the previous year.

EF/MA