Fisheries research and applied studies of the I.R. of Iran in territorial waters of north, south and inland waters, goes back to 100 years ago with establishing the Iran Ichthyology Laboratory in Bandar Anzali city, Guilanprovince in 1918. These activities were further expanded after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1978. The history of Fisheries Research in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea returned back to 1936 with fish species identification of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea by Danish ichthyologists and then the stock assessment of marine resources were carried out as FAO-regional project. In 1966, the Technical-Research Institute of Marine Fisheries was established in south of Iran and at last the first research center was established in Bushehr. Afterwards in 2003, following changes in the organizational set up and approval of the Higher Education Board, the IFSRI was affiliated to the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO) of the Jihad-e-Agriculture Ministry. This institution was approved by the Management and Planning Organization in 2005.
Main Objectives of IFSRI
To develop and expand research in different fields of fisheries sciences:
a) To develop applied research in aquaculture and fisheries
b)To conduct scientific and applied research on aquatic habitats in order to conserve and restore stocks and for the sustainable yield of aquatic bio-resources
c)To improve and enhance quality and variety of fisheries products
d)To apply biotechnological techniques to produce biological products and improve their quality and quantity in terms of health and diseases
e)Identification, conservation and rehabilitation of fisheries stocks and sensitive ecosystems
Research Departments of IFSRI
The IFSRI operates through six departments and provides scientific and technical support in the fisheries activities, which as followed:
1- Aquaculture
2- Ecology of Aquatic Resources
3- Biology and Stock Assessment
4- Biotechnology and Sea Food Processing
5-Aquatics Health and Diseases
6- Research Coordination Affairs
Research Centers and Stations
IFSRI research activities have been distributed in northern, and southern coastal provinces and also inland provinces.
There are 11 research centers and 8 research stations under umbrella of IFSRI distributed in coastal waters of the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf and Oman Sea and also in inland waters as:
a) Northern Part of Iran (Caspian Sea coastal provinces)
- Inland Water Aquaculture Research Institute - Bandar Anzali, Guilan Province
- Coldwater Fishes Research Center (NACA) - Tonekabon, Mazanderan Province
- Caspian Sea Ecology Research Institute - Sari, Mazandaran Province
- Inland Water Aquatics Stocks Research Center - Gorgan, Golestan Province
b) Southern Part of Iran (Persian Gulf and Oman Sea coastal provinces)
- South Aquaculture Research Institute – Ahwaz, Khuzestan Province
- Shrimp Research Institute – Bushehr, Bushehr Province
- Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecology Research Institute – Bandar Abbas, Hormuzgan Province
- Offshore Fisheries Research Center – Chabahar, Sistan & Baluchestan Province
c) Inland waters
- Artemia Research Center– Urmia, West Azerbaijan Province
- Coldwater Fishes Genetic and Breeding Research Center-Yasouj, Chaharmahal & Bakhtiyari Province
- Inland Saline Water Research Center – Bafgh, Yazd Province
Mission
Implement activities that contribute to the sustainable management of fish populations. Research, knowledge management and innovation to develop and protect knowledge based fisheries, aquaculture and natural resources.