AKIPRESS.COM - Kazakhstan exports 30 thousand tons of fish products are exported and 43.5 thousand tons are imported, the press service of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported.

As part of his working trip to the Atyrau region, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin held a meeting on development of fishing industry in Kazakhstan.

According to the relevant services, the total market of fish and fish products in Kazakhstan is about 66 thousand tons, including 45 thousand tons are fisheries, 7.4 thousand tons are fish farming.

In the medium term, there is a potential to increase the domestic market to 120 thousand tons, which will reduce imports due to the cultivation of trout and Atlantic salmon, while increasing export volumes to world markets, in particular, China, Russia and Europe.

Commercial fishing in Kazakhstan is carried out by over 1 thousand subjects of fisheries. The industry employs 11 thousand people.

Fishing is carried out mainly in the Caspian and Aral seas, in Balkhash and Zaysan lakes, in Bukhtarma, Kapshagai and Shardara reservoirs, in the Alakol system of lakes, in the Zhayik and Kigash rivers. The main fishing regions are Atyrau — 13.1 thousand tons (29.2%), East Kazakhstan — 8.2 thousand tons (18.3%), Kyzylorda — 7.4 thousand tons (16.4%) Almaty, 6.6 thousand tons (14.6%), Mangystau — 2.3 thousand tons (5.2%) and Turkistan regions — 2 thousand tons (4.5%).

Fish farming is developing dynamically in Kazakhstan. Over the past 7 years, the volume of fish grown has increased 9 times from 800 tons to more than 7 thousand tons. 180 fish farms are engaged in fish farming in the country, where more than 1 thousand people are employed.

The head of government noted the need for systematic measures for the development of the country's fisheries and instructed to prepare a draft Concept for the Development of Fisheries of Kazakhstan by April 1, 2020.