Bonefish seining starts in northern provinces
Based on a Shilat (Fisheries) report, 5200 fishermen within 67 fishing cooperatives are engaged in fishing bonefish in Gilan Province. This is over 4000, and 1393 fishermen in Mazandaran and Golestan respectively. The last comes through 20 beach seining cooperatives.
In Gilan province, 4106 t of different bony fish was caught during last fishing season which indicates 66% increase compared with that in 2004.
Based on a resolution released by Shilat's Fishing Committee, beach seining by fishermen cooperatives is only permitted from sun rising to 8 pm. This period extends to 10 pm just for Miankaleh area in Mazandaran Province.
According to another resolution signed by the mentioned committee, the mesh size of sack in beach seines will be 30 mm and 33 mm for the first 4 months and last two months of season respectively.
It is expected to have 7800 t of bony fish caught during the current season in Mazandaran Province.
In Golestan Province, this was 470 t in 2000 which increased to 3278 t in 2005 meaning a growth of 597%. The reasons for such improvement is said to be successful artificial propagation of bony fish and releasing them into the sea, restrict control on beach seining, holding training & extension workshops particularly on respecting fishing off seasons and observing standards of beach seines, increase of fishing effort, and finally favorable climate.