Economy of Jazireh-ye Qeshm

Natural conditions are more suitable as regards animal husbandry, and should be utilized in a more rational manner. It has been estimated that the yield per hectare and the yield per cow may be almost doubled by improved agricultural technology and credit allocation without an increase in the number of farmers involved.

Fishery

The existence of the largest shrimp fishing grounds in the Hormuzgan province, as well as waters which harbour considerable amounts of commercially important migratory fish, make fishing an important economic activity. The waters to the north of the island are one of the main nursery grounds for the most commercially valuable fish and shrimp in the region.

Catches in Qeshm waters comprise fish, crustaceans and mollusks. Their estimated volume for 1992/93 is around 18,000 tons. Demersal species are by far the most important catch by weight (13,000 tons). With the exception of the latter group, there is no room for any other development of catches. Almost half the total fish caught in Qeshm waters (9,200 tons) are caught by Qeshmi fishermen.

Some 30 percent of Hormuzgan Province fishing vessels belong to Qeshm. The most important industries related to fishing on QeshmIsland are fibre-glass boat and wooden launch building yards. In total, some 350 employees are engaged in these activities (1991), most of them in launch building. At present there are only two cold storage units with freezers on Qeshm Island. The only industrial processing unit on the island is a unit for shrimp.

Total employment in fishery and related activities in 1991 was more than 2,500 persons, of whom 80