Меню
Fisheries are important in the country's economy as a source of income and employment, increasing the export potential of the economy and as a renewable source of biological diversity.
In this regard, the activities of the Fisheries Committee of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan are focused on the conservation and reproduction of fish resources for their sustainable use.
At the same time, one of the important tasks is to increase fish resources by implementing measures to create conditions for natural reproduction, as well as the implementation of artificial reproduction.
The functions of artificial rearing of juvenile fish with subsequent release into the natural habitat are implemented at the expense of the republican budget by state enterprises of the Fisheries Committee: Ural-Atyrau sturgeon hatchery, Kamyshlybashsky and Petropavlovsk fish hatcheries located in Kyzylorda and North Kazakhstan regions, respectively.
The juveniles of valuable fish species grown by them are released annually into fishery reservoirs. So, in 2023, 53.6 million pieces of juveniles of valuable fish species were grown and released into the natural habitat – juveniles of sturgeon, whitefish, carp and herbivorous fish species (white amur, silver carp).
At the same time, the state order for the provision of services for the stocking of reservoirs is placed annually on a competitive basis among private fish farming enterprises. In 2023, they released 45.4 million pieces of juveniles of valuable fish species into the reservoirs of the Aral-Syrdarya, Balkhash-Alakol, Yesil, Zaisan-Ertis and Nur-Sarys basins.
The release of grown juveniles into reservoirs was carried out on a commission basis with the participation of employees of the inter-regional basin fisheries inspections, representatives of local executive bodies, public and scientific organizations, as well as in the presence of citizens and media representatives.
The Fisheries Development Program for 2021-2030 was approved by Government Decree No. 208 of April 5, 2021.
The program until 2030 defines the following main indicators:
- increase in the volume of fish cultivation from 7 to 270 thousand tons per year;
- increase in domestic consumption of fish products from 67 to 134 thousand tons per year;
- increase in the export of fish products from 30 to 181 thousand tons per year.
In order to develop fish farming at the legislative level, the following measures have been taken:
- approved the Rules for the transfer of fishery reservoirs, previously fixed for commercial fishing, to reservoirs for fish farming;
- a specific deadline for concluding a contract for fish farming has been set for 49 years (previously it was from 5 to 49 years);
- unnecessary requirements for fish farmers are excluded as part of development plans;
Besides:
- business is exempt from compensation for losses during the construction of fish farms on agricultural lands;
- restrictions on the placement of fish farms in the water protection zone have been lifted;
- the subjects of commercial fishing are given the right to organize a cage farm on fixed reservoirs;
- - the requirements for the development of design and estimate documentation and obtaining the conclusion of state expertise during the construction of fish ponds and swimming pools are excluded.
To date, fish farmers have received state support in the form of reimbursement of 25% of investments in fisheries, and 30% of expenses are subsidized when buying feed for three types of fish – these are sturgeon, carp, salmon.
In 2022, the subsidized list of fish species will be expanded with catfish, lats, cichlids, and crustaceans.
A legal act has also been adopted, which provides for new types of subsidies to reimburse up to 50% of expenses: from the cost of fish-breeding and biological justifications; for the purchase of fish planting material; for the purchase and maintenance of repair and breeding herds of valuable fish species; for the purchase of medicines.