South of Iran Aquaculture Research Center affiliated to the Ministry of Agricultural has placed a ban on shrimp fishing as of September 6 in several fishing zones including Khuzestan Province’s Hendijan-Bahrekan. The moratorium was declared to allow the small crustaceans to regenerate their population. Shrimp fishing season in Bahrekan started in early July and continued for two months. Bahrekan fishermen catch up to 3,500 tons of shrimps every year, IRNA reported. Iran is expected to produce close to 30,000 tons of shrimp in the current fiscal year (March 2016-17), according to head of the Fisheries Organization Hassan Salehi. Agriculture Minister Mahmouh Hojati says Iran has reached agreements with Russia and China for the export of high protein food like shrimps. More than 13,000 tons of shrimp were exported, mainly to Vietnam and the UAE, in the last Iranian year), registering a 10% increase compared to the year before.
