Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 10/Trend A. Gurbanova/
Iran's caviar production has reduced to less than one ton due to illegal fishing of sturgeon and lack of investment, ILNA reported quoting Roudsar MP Assadollah Abbasi as saying.
"Illegal fishing and lack of investment in sturgeon breeding has led to decline in caviar production to less than one ton," he said.
Implementation of ban on caviar export has increased illegal fishery in the Caspian Sea and reduced the number of sturgeon fish, he added.
Iran Fisheries Organization Deputy Head Mehdi Shakouri said earlier Iran is to export 500 kilograms of breeding caviar to global markets in 2011.
Though Iran holds more than 40 caviar breeding units, the pollution in Caspian Sea has put the sturgeon fish in danger of extinction. According to studies, the sturgeon reserves in the Caspian sea will reach zero in next 15 years.