AZE.US
Fish prices in Azerbaijan could increase again as the government prepares tighter controls over the fishing industry, including a new electronic tracking system for seafood products.
Under a draft law on fisheries, the origin, type and volume of fish products will be registered in a unified electronic system. The new rules are expected to cover fishing, imports, exports and retail sales.
Only products that meet food safety standards will be allowed onto the market.
Imported Fish Sold as Local Product
One of the main goals of the proposed system is to prevent cheaper imported fish from being sold as more expensive local products.
Fish sellers say Iranian trout is sometimes marketed as trout from Nakhchivan, allowing dishonest traders to charge higher prices.
Once the electronic system is introduced, buyers should be able to receive more accurate information about where the fish was produced or caught.
Sellers who have worked in the industry for years say the rules should primarily affect businesses that mislabel cheaper fish or sell one species under the name of another.
Why Prices Could Increase
The introduction of electronic registration does not automatically mean that all fish will become more expensive.
Imported products account for an estimated 25% of fish consumption in Azerbaijan and help prevent sharper price increases on the domestic market.
However, tighter controls could remove some unregistered and illegally traded products from circulation. Importers, producers and retailers may also face additional expenses related to registration, documentation and compliance.
If businesses pass those costs on to consumers, prices for some types of fish could rise.
At the same time, the new system could reduce cases in which inexpensive imported fish is sold at the price of a premium local product. This may lead to fairer pricing for buyers in some segments of the market.
Fish Stocks Reportedly Down by Up to 90%
Afgan Aliyev, chairman of the Fishers’ Union, said official data indicate that fish and other biological resources in Azerbaijan’s inland waters and the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea have declined by as much as 90%.
He said digital tracking would make it easier to determine where fish was caught, in what volume and from which body of water it originated.
The proposed system would also track fishing vessels, designated fishing areas and catches electronically.
Fishing permits would be issued based on newly regulated fishing zones.
Government Plans to Expand Aquaculture
The draft law also calls for simplifying the registration of aquaculture farms and strengthening measures against illegal fishing.
A government program for 2026 to 2030 aims to increase fish production, expand aquaculture and improve the competitiveness of the sector.
If domestic production grows as planned, it could help limit future price increases and reduce Azerbaijan’s dependence on imported fish.
For now, there is no indication that fish prices will rise sharply across the entire market. Much will depend on how expensive the new requirements prove for fishermen, importers and retailers.
AZE.US