Aquaculture Production in Kazakhstan Planned to Increase 2.5 Times by 2028

Kazakhstan's fish products market continues to show steady growth. According to the results of 2025, the market reached 106.5 thousand tonnes, marking a 13% increase compared to the previous year. Supported by government incentives, digital transformation, and investment projects, the country plans to increase aquaculture production by 2.5 times by 2028 and raise commercial fish catch to 100 thousand tonnes by 2029.

This was announced by Serik Sermagambetov, Chairman of the Fisheries Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, during a press conference at the Central Communications Service under the President of Kazakhstan.

According to the Committee, 49.6 thousand tonnes of fish were harvested in Kazakhstan in 2025, while 22.9 thousand tonnes of aquaculture products were produced. Fish product exports reached 21 thousand tonnes.

The largest volumes of commercial fishing are concentrated in the Atyrau, Kyzylorda, Almaty, and East Kazakhstan regions.

Currently, the fisheries sector includes 537 business entities, providing employment for more than 12,000 people. Fish processing is carried out by 73 enterprises with a combined annual processing capacity of 126 thousand tonnes. Of these, 20 enterprises are authorized to export their products to the European Union, while Kazakh fish products are supplied to 21 countries worldwide. In 2025, fish processing volumes reached 37 thousand tonnes, an increase of 24% compared to the previous year.

To encourage value-added processing, the government offers several support measures. Fish processing companies benefit from a 70% reduction in value-added tax (VAT) and have access to 5% concessional loans for working capital financing.

Digital transformation has become one of the key priorities for the industry's development. In 2025, the E-fish information system was launched and integrated with government information systems involved in issuing permits and authorizations.

The system currently includes 1,221 fisheries and aquaculture entities. Integration with the Unified Automated Management System enables the automatic blocking of veterinary certificates when permitted fishing or aquaculture volumes are exceeded. As a result, the illegal circulation of fish products has been reduced by approximately 2,000 tonnes.

The functionality of the system will continue to expand. A dedicated "Aquaculture" module is planned to maintain a unified register of fish farms, monitor production indicators, analyze investment activity, and forecast industry needs. In addition, authorities are considering the introduction of QR-coded tags for fishing gear to strengthen monitoring and improve traceability.

Efforts to preserve aquatic biological resources are also ongoing. As part of the President's instructions, the Caspian Seal Nature Reserve was established in October 2024, and work is underway to expand the protected area and strengthen its technical infrastructure. At the same time, the Zhanatalap and Yerkinkala facilities of the Atyrau Sturgeon Hatchery are being modernized, increasing annual sturgeon fingerling production from 5 million to 7.5 million.

Particular attention is being given to the development of aquaculture. Since 2021, government support for fish farming enterprises has increased 11.5-fold, reaching KZT 5.3 billion in 2026. During the same period, the number of fish farms doubled to 684. Investments in fixed capital amounted to KZT 5.8 billion in 2025, while an additional KZT 4 billion was invested during the first half of 2026.

Between 2021 and 2025, Kazakhstan implemented 95 projects related to fish farming and fish processing with a total investment of KZT 24.1 billion and a combined design capacity exceeding 22 thousand tonnes per year. By 2028, an investment portfolio consisting of 41 major projects with a total value of approximately KZT 60 billion has been formed. The largest projects are being implemented in the Almaty, East Kazakhstan, Kostanay, Pavlodar, and Mangystau regions.

According to Serik Sermagambetov, the implementation of these measures will allow Kazakhstan to increase aquaculture production by 2.5 times by 2028, create 820 new jobs, and raise per capita fish consumption to 9 kilograms.

In addition, commercial fish catch is expected to reach 100 thousand tonnes by 2029, while the modernization of fish hatcheries will increase annual fingerling production from 18 million to 85 million.