TEHRAN, 17 February 2021 – The Government of Japan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have signed a funding agreement for a project to promote the sustainable development of the tuna value chain in the Chabahar region of Iran.

Building on earlier interventions to build the capacity of the tuna value chain in Chabahar, the initiative will support the ability of local fishermen to access new markets while at the same time reduce the risk of over-fishing. Currently, although tuna caught in the Chabahar region is of high quality, most of it is canned and sold at low prices. Fishermen are catching tuna using methods and at volumes that, if continued, will likely deplete marine resources in the south-east coastal region.  

Through a collaborative approach with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Iranian Fisheries Organization and local institutions, UNIDO will provide technical assistance to improve the quality management system, encourage the promotion of exports at higher prices, promote sustainable fishing practices and establish a mechanism to monitor and control the stock of yellowfin tuna.

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the fishery sector in Chabahar will directly benefit from these quality and market-related interventions, particularly from Japanese knowledge sharing and technology transfers.