The ministry’s manager of fish production, Sirwan Saaid, told Rudaw the decision will not raise prices, as hundreds of farmers have applied to start fishing businesses.
“There are almost 100 unauthorized fishing businesses in the region which have applied for certification from the ministry and that we hope can offset the deficit created by import cuts,” said Saaid.
He said his ministry has given authorization to 352 businesses across the region, which produce more than 2,400 tons of fish. Another 1,000 tons is already produced by unauthorized farmers, and1,500 tons by local villages for their own consumption.
“In total we have over 5,000 tons of fish, which indeed could meet the domestic demand to a large extent,” Saaid said.
The ministry has distributed more than three million fish to farmers at subsidized prices since 2008 to boost production. It has also put more than 100,000 different types of fish eggs into Kurdish rivers and lakes to stimulate fishery.
