Tehran - Iran’s fisheries sector is entering a new phase of growth, marked by a sharp increase in distant-water fishing (DWF) and fresh investments aimed at boosting employment and production, the head of the Iran Fisheries Organization announced.

 

Addressing a press briefing during the national Fisheries Exhibition, Hamzeh Rostampour said that the fisheries industry now provides 300,000 direct jobs and nearly one million indirect jobs, underscoring its strategic economic role.

 

“These figures show how broad and vital the fisheries sector has become for the country,” he said.

 

The senior official highlighted the recent opening of two new fishing piers in Khuzestan, noting that one of them introduces a level of innovation not seen before in Iran.

 

“The new facilities, he explained, solve long-standing problems fishermen faced when docking and unloading their catch, paving the way for increased productivity and stronger local economies.”

 

On the remarkable rise in distant-waters fishing, he said, “Vessels that previously returned with 80 to 90 tons of fish are now coming back with 100 to 130 tons, and one vessel recently landed an impressive 160 tons.”

Rostampour described this achievement as a clear demonstration of Iran’s expanding capabilities in fisheries production, with promising implications for export growth.