Fisheries Deal Inked With Italy

Italy and the Islamic Republic of Iran signed their first non-governmental memorandum of understanding in the fisheries sector.
The MoU was signed between Italy’s fishing federation, Federpesca, and Iran’s Development Fund for Export of Aquatics at the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Embassy in Rome on Thursday, Mehr News Agency reported.
Based on the MoU, the two sides agreed to cooperate in canning fisheries products, catching tuna fish, procuring and equipping fishing trawlers, as well as exchange know-how in breeding sturgeon, marketing and exporting Iran’s fishery products to Italy.
Director General of Italy’s Federpesca Fishing Association, Luigi Giannini, said the MoU is an important step forward in expanding cooperation between two countries in the fisheries sector.
Head of Iran’s Development Fund for Export of Aquatics, Arsalan Qasemi, said that since the European Union, particularly Italy, is one of the main markets for Iran’s fisheries products, the MoU between two countries can help develop a lucrative business for both countries in various fields, including creating jobs and increasing the export of aquatic products to Europe.
Earlier, secretary general of the Union of Aquatics Exporters said some 44,500 tons of aquatics worth $159.488 million were exported during the Iranian year to March 20.
"It is predicted that export of aquatics will increase by 10 percent to 15 percent in the current (Iranian) year," Ali Akbar Khodaie told Iran Daily.
Aquatics, he said, includes sea fish and tank-bred aquatics as well as ornamental fish and related products.
Fish, lobster, shrimp and fish feed, fish oil and even fish roe are among the export items, Khodaie added.
He pointed out that most of the exports pertain to fish and shrimp, adding some 2,940 tons of shrimp worth $13 million were exported last year.
The official noted tank-bred aquatics, including shrimp and warm water fish are mostly exported to Iraq, Republic of Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Armenia while sea fish is exported to some Persian Gulf littoral states, including the UAE and Kuwait.
"Shrimp forms the bulk of Iran’s aquatics exports to Europe. Spain and Italy are the main importers of Iranian shrimp. However, given the sanctions on the country, money transfer is rather problematic. But, the sanctions actually motivated us to seek new markets and we have found good markets in Egypt and Lebanon," he noted.
Khodaie referred to export of sweet water shrimps to Europe.
"Export of sweet water shrimps last year was 50 tons, most of which was either exported directly to Germany or to other European countries via Turkey."
He said caviar used to constitute the major portion of Iran’s aquatics export.

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