Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
İndicator 14.b.1 Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

The Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Fisheries” defines the legal basis for the organization and management of fisheries, including aquaculture, the increase, use and protection of fish and other water bioresources in the Republic of Azerbaijan. 
In the law, the main principles of state policy in the field of fisheries, obtaining the right to use fish and other water bioresources, the right of legal and natural persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan to use fish and other water bioresources in the water bodies of foreign countries, the right of legal and natural persons of foreign countries to use fish and other water bioresources in the water bodies of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the rights of fishing subjects, the inclusion of fish products in the trade turnover and other related issues have been identified. 
The “Rules of fishing and other water bioresources” approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan (June 2, 2017 No. 243) regulates the mechanisms for obtaining the right to use fish and other water bioresources for small-scale fisheries.
Rules contain the application form for obtaining to use fish and other water bioresources, the list of required documents, the organization to which the application will be submitted, the circumstances and procedure for restricting, suspending or terminating the fishing and other water bioresources, the conditions of industrial hunting of fish and other water bioresources and other issues related to this area. 
Subjects engaged in industrial hunting of fish and other water bioresources  have the right to apply to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the government regarding more efficient use of existing resources, introduction of new fishing tools, to include fish and other water bodies in the quota and other issues within the framework of the current legislation. Applications received in this direction are considered by giving a scientific and legal evaluation, taking into account the status of the relevant resources, ensuring the sustainability of their use and protection. 
If necessary, relevant documents making changes on normative legal acts are submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers. 

Source: Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan



  • National metadata
  • Additional methodological material
The following table describes the metadata developed in accordance with the structure of United Integrated Metadata (SIS 2.0).
İndicator name: Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries
1 1 Contact
1.1 Contact organisation The State Statistical Committee of Republic of Azerbaijan
1.2 Contact organisation unit Department of sustainable development statistics
1.3 Contact name Ilgar Valiyev
1.4 Contact person function Head of the department of sustainable development statistics
1.5 Contact mail address Baku-AZ1136, Inshaatchilar Avenue 81
1.6 Contact email address ilgar.valiyev@stat.gov.az
1.7 Contact phone number +99412 377 10 70 (ex 2251)
1.8 Contact fax number (+99412) 538 24 42
2 1 Metadata update
2.1 Metadata last certified 19.12.2022
2.2 Metadata last posted 19.12.2022
2.3 Metadata last update 17.03.2026
3 1 Statistical presentation
3.1 Data description The Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Fisheries" defines the legal basis for the organization, management, increase, use and protection of fish and other aquatic bioresources in the Republic of Azerbaijan, including aquaculture.
3.2 Classification system Not applicable.
3.3 Sector coverage Section A - Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
3.4 Statistical concepts and definitions The Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Fisheries" defines the legal basis for the organization, management, increase, use and protection of fish and other aquatic bioresources in the Republic of Azerbaijan, including aquaculture.
3.5 Statistical unit The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources
3.6 Statistical population Not applicable.
3.7 Reference area By country.
3.8 Time coverage Data is available as of 2021.
3.9 Base period Data is available as of 2021.
4 1 Unit of measure Not applicable.
5 1 Reference period Yearly
6 1 Institutional mandate
6.1 Legal acts and other agreements "Law on official statistics" Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan, recommendations of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (Food balance sheets, A handbook, FAO UN)
6.2 Data sharing The data is collected by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.
7 1 Confidentiality
7.1 Confidentiality - policy

In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On Official Statistics" (Article 15), provision of primary data is prohibited. https://e-qanun.az/framework/8882 Access to microdata by the Chairman of the State Statistical Committee It is regulated according to the "Rules for providing users with micro-data for research purposes" approved on 13.06.2011. http://www.stat.gov.az/menu/6/personal_info/micro_inf.pdf "How to work with personal data, how to protect their privacy" approved by the order of the State Statistical Committee No. 7/02s dated February 19, 2014 needed?" There is a manual called. http://www.stat.gov.az/menu/6/personal_info/personal_information.pdf Protection of the confidentiality of primary (personal) data is reflected in the policy document of the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the field of protection of confidential statistical data. http://www.stat.gov.az/menu/2/quality/az/mexfilik.pdf

7.2 Confidentiality - data treatment It is not allowed to distribute official statistical materials reflecting confidential information or disclosing it among users. The final (aggregated) data permitted to be disclosed must include data from at least three statistical units, and the share of any of the statistical units in such summaries must not exceed 85%.
8 1 Release policy
8.1 Release calendar It is carried out on the basis of the approved schedule for the distribution of statistical data and press data. The information is reflected in the aggregate.
8.2 Release calendar access The broadcast calendar is posted on the website of the Committee in the Electronic services section. Access is open to all users and there are no restrictions.
8.3 User access In accordance with the "Law on Official Statistics", users receive statistical materials within the framework of the uniform rules and legal norms provided for in the official statistics program on the dissemination of information. In providing users with statistical information, all possible forms of data carriers are used, including special publications of state statistical bodies, mass media and other means.
9 1 Frequency of dissemination Yearly
10 1 Accessibility and clarity
10.1 News release It is distributed both in paper and electronic form.
10.2 Publications It is reflected in the statistical compilation "Sustainable Development Goals: a statistical overview" and its electronic version is available on the website of the State Statistics Committee: http://www.stat.gov.az/menu/6/statistical_yearbooks/
10.3 On-line database Ready tables are available at this link: sdg.azstat.gov.az
10.4 Micro-data access Micro data can be used only in accordance with the "Rules for providing users with micro data for research purposes" approved by the Chairman of the State Statistics Committee on 13.06.2011. 
10.5 Other Access to data is provided for all users at the same time. Data is free for all users. Users' requests are answered in electronic and written form.
10.6 Documentation on methodology Methodological recommendations are available and information is provided in the metadata section.
10.7 Quality documentation Standards of corrections in published and disseminated official statistical data General model of statistical business process (Azerbaijan version, third edition) Quality Assessment Reporting Standards and Recommendations The quality assurance reports of the integrated integrated metadata (SIS 2.0) and its basics (ESQRS 2.0 ) and structure of metadata (ESMS 2.0)
11 1 Quality management
11.1 Quality assurance

The State Statistical Committee implements the quality management system in accordance with the international standard ISO 9001. In 2013 the external audit of the quality management system was conducted in the State Statistical Committee, and in August of the same year for the first time ISO 9001:2008 international certificate of conformity was obtained in the direction of "Production and dissemination of official statistical data". After a major change of the international standard in 2015, all documents of the quality management system were redesigned in accordance with the requirements of the international standard ISO 9001:2015. According to the results of certification audit conducted on March 09-10, 2017, the apparatus of The State Statistical Committee and 13 local statistical offices where QMS is applied, and then the apparatus of the State Statistics Committee according to the results of recertification audit conducted on March 02-06, 2020 and another 17 local statistical offices where QMS is applied, then according to the results of recertification audit conducted on February 13-17, 2023, the apparatus of the State Statistics Committee and 45 local statistical offices where QMS "Production and dissemination of official statistical data" is applied, have received the international certificate of conformity 9001:2015 in the direction of "Production and dissemination of official statistics". http://stat.gov.az/menu/2/quality/en/sertifikat_ISO_9001_2015.pdf

Seminars on QMS are organized for the staff of the structural units and local statistical bodies at least once a year. In 2010 and 2017, Global Assessments of the National Statistical System of the Republic of Azerbaijan were conducted by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). In line with the recommendations of experts, improvement activities in this area are being carried out.

11.2 Quality assessment

On the basis of the “Audit Program” approved annually, internal audits are carried out in the departments of the Office and in the local statistical bodies where the GIS is applied. Audit teams are formed to conduct audits and an individual audit plan is approved for each structural unit. The audit team conducts inspections in accordance with the audit plan. Internal monitoring of quality aspects in the State Statistics Committee is carried out in a centralized manner by the authorized structural unit (Quality Management and Metadata Department) and an annual “Analysis by Management” document is prepared and submitted to the management based on the results of audits. The members of the audit team (auditors) are instructed before each audit by the auditor general, as well as through seminars organized at least once a year. The activity of the State Statistics Committee is “Quality management systems. Requirements ”ISO 9001: 2015 is one of the strongest strengths. Increased workload due to incomplete transition to electronic documentation and parallel paperwork, late adaptation of staff (employees) to the requirements of the new standards are the weakest weaknesses.

12 1 Relevance
12.1 User needs Ministries and committees of the Republic of Azerbaijan, international organizations, legal and natural persons
12.2 User satisfaction

Users go to the official website www.stat.gov.az and answer questions about the use of the main areas of statistics in the section "Request for statistical information to users". The results of this online survey are available at https://www.stat.gov.az/source/others/sorqu-yekun-2025-ARAYI%C5%9E.pdf.


12.3 Completeness The information is fully covered.
13 1 Accuracy and reliability
13.1 Overall accuracy No such assessment has been conducted.
13.2 Sampling error Not applicable.
13.3 Non-sampling error Not applicable.
14 1 Timeliness and punctuality
14.1 Timeliness Data on this indicator are collected annually until the 1st decade of September.
14.2 Punctuality Dissemination of the final results is carried out in a timely manner in accordance with the "Statistical Works Program".
15 1 Coherence and comparability
15.1 Comparability - geographical No comparison is made.
15.2 Comparability - over time Not applicable.
15.3 Coherence - cross domain No related statistics.
15.4 Coherence - internal No comparison is made.
16 1 Cost and burden Not applicable.
17 1 Data revision
17.1 Data revision - policy Not applicable.
17.2 Data revision - practice Not applicable.
18 1 Statistical processing
18.1 Source data Preliminary data is collected based on the data of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.
18.2 Frequency of data collection Data are collected annually.
18.3 Data collection The information is sent by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to the DSK by mail.
18.4 Data validation After the data is entered into the database, the entered data is checked by the colleagues of the department: If inconsistencies are detected during the monitoring of the online database, the relevant ministry, committee or head office that submitted the information is informed about it, relevant explanations are given and relevant corrections are made before the end of the reporting period.
18.5 Data compilation Data is being aggregated.
18.6 Adjustment Seasonal adjustments are not made.
19 1 Comment No comments.