Kyrgyzstan opens 2026 fishing season

BISHKEK, 31 March (BelTA - Kabar) - Adylbek Kasymaliev, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Head of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic, participated in an international sport fishing event entitled "Opening of the 2026 Fishing Season." The event was announced by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Speaking at the event, Adylbek Kasymaliev noted that Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country and also a water tower of Central Asia. He emphasized that the country's water bodies are well suited for sport and recreational fishing.

"The fisheries industry is currently developing well in Kyrgyzstan and fully meets domestic needs. Furthermore, the country has achieved significant success in exporting fish products. The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Ichthyology and Hydrobiology Laboratory of the Institute of Biology of the National Academy of Sciences, actively works with hunters and fishermen in water bodies related to the country's fisheries. An electronic ticket system for anglers operates through the Agro-Smart system. All this demonstrates the scale of Kyrgyzstan's natural resources, fishing opportunities, and the potential for sport fishing," he noted.

Kasymaliev also emphasized that Kyrgyzstani sport fishermen have begun to demonstrate results in major international competitions. The Kyrgyz feeder fishing team placed 20th at the 2024 World Championships held in Spain. This is a good result. The 15th World Championships will be held in Italy this April. The International Freshwater Fishing Federation (FIFF) comprises 70 countries, and the Kyrgyz team is actively preparing for the competition.

It's worth noting that the international feeder sport fishing tournament, titled "Opening of the 2026 Fishing Season," was held on March 28-29 of this year. Sixty athletes from national teams of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan participated in the competition. The winners and runners-up were awarded special prizes.

Kyrgyzstan Fishing Sport Federation was officially established in 2016. In this regard, Adylbek Kasymaliev, on behalf of the Cabinet of Ministers, congratulated the Kyrgyz Fishing Sports Federation on its tenth anniversary.