Achievements in the field of fisheries during the years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan

One of the priority areas of economic sectors in ensuring food security is fisheries. The state pays special attention to the development of the industry.
The fisheries fund of Kazakhstan includes the waters of the Caspian and Aral Seas, Lake Balkhash, Bukhtarma, Kapshagai, Shardara reservoirs, Alakol lake system and other reservoirs with a total area of about 3 million hectares, which are home to more than 70 species of fish.
Over the years of independence, the sectoral Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On the Protection, Reproduction and Use of Wildlife" has been adopted, regulating public relations in the field of protection, reproduction and use of fish resources and is aimed at ensuring conditions for the conservation of fish resources and their diversity, sustainable use in order to meet environmental, economic, aesthetic and other human needs, taking into account the interests of current and future generations.
It should be noted that in the implementation of this Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan, about 60 regulatory legal acts have been developed and adopted, which are constantly being improved, taking into account the realities of the time.
One of the important innovations of the sectoral Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan was the provision of opportunities for individuals and legal entities of the Republic of Kazakhstan to carry out entrepreneurial activities in the field of fisheries.
So, since 2006, the institute of long-term securing of reservoirs for users has been operating, which guarantees access to fish resources for a long time and, accordingly, allows for systematic work to involve users' own funds in the development of fisheries in fixed reservoirs and areas, their protection, reproduction and research, as well as attracting additional investments.
Currently, more than 1,000 fisheries entities have 1646 fishery reservoirs or areas for commercial fishing, from which about 45-50 thousand tons of fish are caught annually. This has allowed for the years of independence to create more than 70 new fish processing enterprises, the design capacity of which is about 87 thousand tons of fish products per year. Their placement is traditionally tied to large commercial reservoirs located on the territory of Atyrau, Almaty, East Kazakhstan and Kyzylorda regions.
The processing enterprises have established the production of the following types of fish products: chilled and frozen fish, fish fillets, smoked and dried fish, balych products, culinary products and semi-finished products, canned fish, as well as fat-flour products.
It should be noted that today 17 domestic fish processing enterprises meet the high requirements of the European Union and have received the right to export fish products to the countries of the European Union. At the same time, an additional 14 Kazakhstani enterprises have applied to the relevant EU authorities for the same right to export. The most recognizable domestic fish products are pike perch fillets on the markets of the EU countries and are rightfully a Kazakhstani brand.
At the same time, in order to expand the export market, a veterinary certificate has been agreed between Kazakhstan and China, and 64 Kazakhstani enterprises are included in the PRC register.
In general, over the years of Kazakhstan's independence, the export potential of fish processing enterprises has increased significantly. So,
Since 2003, Kazakhstan has exported 506.8 thousand tons of fish products worth over $ 1.0 billion to 36 countries of the near and far abroad (Germany, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Hungary, Denmark, China, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and others).
It should be noted that fishing is carried out within the limits of the volumes optimally permissible for withdrawal, which allow the sustainable use of fish resources without harming the natural population.
Annual studies conducted by a scientific organization in the field of fisheries show the stability of fish stocks, which allows for their sustainable use, while ensuring the conservation of all commercial species.
Along with the rational use of fish resources of natural reservoirs, there is a gradual reorientation from fishing
to fish farming, based on world experience.
During the years of independence of Kazakhstan, the production facilities of the Atyrau Sturgeon Hatchery and the Ural-Atyrau Sturgeon Hatchery were put into operation (in 1998), which artificially grow and annually release into the natural habitat more than 7 million pieces of juvenile sturgeon species of fish. In the period 1998-2021, these plants have grown and released into the natural habitat about 180 million pieces of juvenile sturgeon fish species. Thus, their main task is the artificial reproduction and replenishment of the population of sturgeon fish species in the Ural-Caspian basin.
At the same time, special attention is paid to the conservation and rational use of aquatic biological resources of the Ural-Caspian basin. Thus, on behalf of the Head of State, a moratorium on sturgeon fishing in the Caspian Sea has been introduced and since 2010 Kazakhstan has not been catching sturgeon species for commercial purposes.
At the same time, in 2014, an Agreement on the conservation and Rational use of Aquatic Biological Resources of the Caspian Sea was signed in Astrakhan (Russia), which was ratified by the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 17.07.2015 No. 332-V.
In the Address of the Head of State on September 1, 2020, it was noted about the need to pay close attention to the development of the fishing industry of the country.
In this regard, the Fisheries Committee of the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established in December 2020.
In April 2021, the Government adopted a Program for the development of fisheries until 2030, the main indicator of which is an increase in the volume of fish cultivation from 9 to 270 thousand tons by 2030.
To achieve the goals of the Program, a set of state support measures is provided. So, for today, state support is provided in the form of reimbursement of 25% of investments in fisheries, as well as subsidizing 30% of expenses when buying feed for three types of fish – these are sturgeon, carp, salmon. This year, the subsidized list of fish species has been expanded with catfish, lats, cichlids, as well as crustaceans.
In addition, new types of subsidies have been introduced to reimburse up to 50% of expenses: the cost of developing fish-breeding and biological justifications; for the purchase of fish planting material and medicines; for the purchase and maintenance of repair and breeding herds of valuable fish species.
At the same time, in order to develop fish farming at the legislative level, the following measures have been taken:
- the Rules for transferring fishery reservoirs from fishing to fish farming have been approved;
- a specific deadline for concluding a contract for fish farming has been established - for 49 years (previously it was from 5 to 49 years);
- unnecessary requirements for fish farmers are excluded within the framework of Plans for the development of fisheries;
In addition, in 2021:
- business is exempt from compensation for losses during the construction of fish farms on agricultural land;
- restrictions on the placement of fish farms in the water protection zone have been lifted;
- 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.
Today,
288 fish farms are engaged in fish farming in Kazakhstan, of which: 204 lake-commodity, 60 pond, 8 cage and 16 industrial fish farms with closed water supply. Since independence, the volume of fish cultivation has increased from 1.9 thousand tons to 12.8 thousand tons. Today, along with carp, sturgeon and salmon species, fish farmers are growing new aquaculture facilities, such as African catfish, tilapia, barramundi and Australian red-clawed crayfish.
Thus, over the years of independence, all the necessary measures have been taken, thanks to which the fishery is developing quite successfully. The potential achieved so far will increase the volume of production of products with high added value and increase the attractiveness of the industry for potential investors.