“Last [Iranian] year [March 2019-20], a total of 23,000 tons of kilka were caught, showing an 11.54% decline compared with the year before. Fishing companies in Mazandaran and Gilan provinces accounted for 80% and 20% of the yields respectively,” Mokhtar Akhoundi, an official with Iran Fisheries Organization, was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
Akhoundi noted that sprat harvest will peak in late July when this year’s production can be more accurately estimated.
“The lion’s share of our Caspian Sea sprat harvest in the country is delivered to seafood factories for converting it into fish powder,” he said.