Kazakhstan’s Atyrau Sturgeon Hatchery has released more than one million juvenile sturgeon into the Zhaiyk, or Ural, River, according to the country’s Ministry of Agriculture.
The release was carried out under the state order for 2026 as part of efforts to artificially reproduce sturgeon populations and fulfill Kazakhstan’s commitments to preserving the biological resources of the Caspian Sea.
The Atyrau Sturgeon Hatchery is a state monopoly authorized to remove sturgeon from their natural habitat for breeding purposes. The enterprise plays a key role in preserving and restoring populations of valuable fish species in the Caspian basin.
A distinctive feature of the hatchery is its use of specialized biotechnology to raise juvenile fish in conditions as close to natural as possible. This ensures a high survival rate and better adaptation of the released fish once they return to the wild.
Over the past 30 years, the Atyrau hatchery has released around 180 million juvenile sturgeon into the Caspian Sea. The facility is currently undergoing modernization, which will increase its production capacity from 5 million to 7.4 million juvenile fish annually.
Kazakhstan’s fisheries sector is showing steady growth. Under the Fisheries Development Program through 2030, the number of fish farms in the country has quadrupled to 700.
Annual production of valuable fish species, including carp, sturgeon, and salmon, now totals around 26,000 tons, Serik Sermagambetov, chairman of the Fisheries Committee at the Ministry of Agriculture, said at the Kazynaly Caspian International Fish Forum in Atyrau on June 18.
The fish processing sector is also expanding. Kazakhstan currently has 73 fish processing plants, 18 of them located in the Zhaiyk-Caspian basin. Twenty Kazakhstani companies are authorized to export fish products to the European Union.
In 2025, Kazakhstan’s fish market grew by 15%, reaching 108,900 tons. The country exports fish products to 21 countries, including European Union member states, China, and Russia. Total exports amounted to 21,100 tons in 2025.
Forum participants said future growth in Kazakhstan’s fisheries sector should rely on technology-backed investment and careful management of natural resources. They said this would increase export potential while helping preserve the Caspian Sea ecosystem for future generations.
