Tehran - Iran's top fisheries official has called for a strategic reassessment of the country's marine aquaculture ambitions, warning that achieving a 200,000-ton cage-farming target in the Caspian Sea will depend on learning from past missteps and crafting a clear, actionable roadmap.

 

The remarks were delivered at a high-level session on the "Strategic Transformation Plan for Maritime Activities in the Northern Provinces," convened to chart a path toward producing 165,500 tons of Atlantic salmon in offshore cages.

 

The meeting brought together Hamzeh Rostampour, head of Iran's Fisheries Organization (IFO), alongside a number of university scholars and experts.

 

Rostampour underscored that developmental goals must be grounded in the Caspian's ecological realities. "The sea's environmental capacity must be precisely measured through scientific methods," he said.

 

"Given the exceptional importance of sturgeon stocks in the north, we need to substantially expand university-led research in this area."

 

He also described stock rehabilitation as a fundamental state duty, stressing the organization's commitment to a methodical approach.

 

"We are working on a comprehensive and well-structured program," Rostampour noted. "Once we have identified and addressed the shortcomings of previous efforts, we will move forward with project execution, fully transparent, backed by capable investors, and grounded in the latest scientific and technical expertise."