Construction of Kyrgyzstan’s National Center for the Development of Aquaculture and Fisheries is underway in the village of Bokonbaevo on the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul.
The project is a joint initiative of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry and the Korea Maritime Institute.
The center will provide training in fish farming technologies for farmers, students, and researchers.
According to the ministry, a well has been drilled to a depth of 180 meters, and pumping equipment and water purification systems have been installed to supply water for the center’s incubation workshop.
The facility is scheduled for completion by December 2026. It will include fish incubation workshops, laboratories, residential quarters, a canteen, and other necessary infrastructure.
The center is designed to boost Kyrgyzstan’s fishing industry.
Currently, the country produces about 30,000 tons of fish annually, of which only 5,000 tons are exported. However, experts estimate that Kyrgyzstan has the capacity to produce up to 105,000 tons and export 50,000 tons of fish.
According to official statistics, in 2023, Kyrgyzstan produced 33,600 tons of fish and exported 5,556 tons of fish and fish products, mainly to Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Lithuania.
Fish farming in Kyrgyzstan, particularly trout production, is carried out in artificial ponds and fishery farms at lakes Issyk-Kul and Son-Kul.