Atyrau's fishing boom: Sturgeon farms and new plants reshape the industry
Modernization Drive
The region is seeing a growing trend in fish processing. However, despite the positive momentum, further development of the industry requires systemic measures—primarily the modernization of the sturgeon fish farm, where outdated equipment remains in use.
The importance of expanding the fishing industry in the region was underscored by the head of state during a working visit to Atyrau in 2022. Addressing a public meeting, the president instructed authorities to modernize the region's existing sturgeon breeding plants and to develop fisheries more broadly.
Above all, the president emphasized the need to increase sturgeon production, given the high global demand for the fish. To that end, he ordered the modernization of existing facilities. "The state owns two sturgeon breeding plants, both in disrepair with obsolete equipment. These plants must be upgraded," President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev directed.
Modernization work began in 2024. Serik Sermagambetov, chair of the Fisheries Committee under the Ministry of Agriculture, recently inspected the progress during a fact-finding visit.
It is worth noting that the Ural-Atyrau Sturgeon Fish Farm was established in 1998 by a government decree as a compensatory measure amid the launch of oil extraction in the Caspian Sea. The plant's core mission was the artificial reproduction of young sturgeon and their release into their natural habitat.
A second facility opened years later, also on the outskirts of the regional capital. In 2022, both fish farms were restructured. One plant was effectively divided into two sites—"Zhanatalap" and "Erkinkala"—streamlining operations and improving efficiency in fulfilling state orders.
According to contractors, the first phase of upgrades included renovating winter production ponds, the fish-breeding section, the water supply system, and the pumping station. The second phase will focus on reconstructing the processing workshops. Once work at Zhanatalap is complete, modernization will begin at the second site.
The project is funded by an oil company. Upon completion, the combined plant's capacity is expected to reach 7.5 million fingerlings annually.
The committee chair urged contractors to accelerate the work and, if necessary, expand the workforce to ensure high-quality, timely completion of the modernization. Should funding delays arise at any stage, local authorities have pledged to allocate 700 million tenge to keep the project on track.
In addition to upgrading sturgeon farms, construction of the Shortanbay Fish Processing Plant—with a capacity of up to 5 million cans of fish products per year—is nearing completion. The facility is located in Kurmangazy District, on the border with Russia's Astrakhan Oblast. According to the project plan, the plant will include 11 buildings, housing fish reception and freezing units, canning, hot smoking, salting, and packaging workshops, as well as caviar and fillet processing facilities. The complex will also feature a mechanical workshop, warehouses, garages for vehicles, and storage areas for frozen and dried salted fish.
"This is the first facility of its kind in our republic," said Serik Sermagambetov. "The fishing industry has a particularly high demand for ice production. The plant will use cutting-edge technology—previously, ice was cut from rivers in winter, but once the project is complete, it will be produced on-site year-round. This will significantly improve the quality of fish storage and transportation."
However, developing the fishing industry is not just about modernizing existing facilities and building new processing plants. A critical priority is stepping up the fight against poaching, which is essential for preserving stocks of valuable fish species.
Every year from April 1 to May 31, the Atyrau, Mangystau, and West Kazakhstan regions conduct a fish protection campaign. According to the Zhaiyk-Caspian Interregional Basin Fisheries Inspection, enforcement efforts are concentrated along the Caspian coast and the estuary areas of the Zhaiyk and Kigach rivers, where illegal fishing is most frequently reported. The region has already deployed fixed and mobile checkpoints, along with patrol teams that will also operate on roads in western Kazakhstan.
During the campaign, controls on the export of fish and fish products outside Kazakhstan will be tightened, with inspections carried out at airports, railway stations, and major highways.
The interregional fisheries inspection reports that 226 vehicles and ATVs, 91 boats and small vessels, and six aircraft will be deployed for patrols. A total of 39 checkpoints—nine fixed and 30 mobile—will operate in the region, supported by 26 additional mobile teams.
Last year, nearly 900 people faced administrative penalties for poaching, with 33 criminal cases opened. Authorities confiscated 4.5 tons of illegally caught fish, including over a ton of sturgeon.
