The main species are listed in Table 1. There is no national fleet as such. The fishing techniques used by fishers include trawl, gill, surrounding, cast and trap nets. The only system of aquaculture is in earth ponds. Aquaculture in Iraq depends on freshwater resources, with no marine aquaculture practised.
Sufficient hatcheries are available, although most production is of common carp.
All production is consumed locally, mostly in a fresh state. Thus there is no significant fish processing industry at present. The fisheries sector in Iraq is of no significant value to the national economy due to absence of export and import activities at present. There is no processing industry for fish products. No international aid is being received for the fisheries sector.