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DUE TO ILLEGAL FISHERY, ENDEMIC FISH SPECIES OF LAKE SEVAN FIND THEMSELVES ON THE VERGE OF ANNIHILATION
arminfo
Tuesday, June 26, 17:41
Due to illegal fishery, endemic fish species of Lake Sevan have found
themselves on the verge of annihilation, Bardukh Gabrielyan, Director
of the Institute of Hydroecology and Ichthyology of the Armenian
National Academy of Sciences, said at today's press conference
in Yerevan.
The expert said that over the 1980s the total fish reserves in Lake
Sevan were approximately 28-30 thsd tons, whereas now this index does
not exceed 20 tons. Gabrielyan said that due to the illegal fishery,
such endemic fishes as Sevan barbel and Sevan khramulya, which are
included in the Red Book, have found themselves on the verge of
annihilation. At the same time, the whitefish, whose reserves are at
a critically low level, are still openly sold in the markets.
He recalled that for 4 years the experts have offered the Government
to forbid the catching of all fish species, except crucian carps.
"After long efforts, the Government has finally paid attention to
this problem and has taken measures to restore the trout population in
the lake. However, the problem is evident: the state allocates money,
purchases juvenile fish, releases them into the lake, however, the fish
do not manage to grow because of illegal fishery", Gabrielyan stressed.
He said that it is necessary to implement a program consisting of
both environmental and socio-economic components to preserve the fish
reserves in the lake.
At present seven fish species are found in Lake Sevan: ishkhan,
khramulya, barbel, crucian carp, carp, bystranka and rainbow trout. As
regards the whitefish brought here from Lake Ladoga in the 1920-30s,
it is by right considered to be the main symbol of the Sevan.
arminfo
Tuesday, June 26, 17:41
Due to illegal fishery, endemic fish species of Lake Sevan have found
themselves on the verge of annihilation, Bardukh Gabrielyan, Director
of the Institute of Hydroecology and Ichthyology of the Armenian
National Academy of Sciences, said at today's press conference
in Yerevan.
The expert said that over the 1980s the total fish reserves in Lake
Sevan were approximately 28-30 thsd tons, whereas now this index does
not exceed 20 tons. Gabrielyan said that due to the illegal fishery,
such endemic fishes as Sevan barbel and Sevan khramulya, which are
included in the Red Book, have found themselves on the verge of
annihilation. At the same time, the whitefish, whose reserves are at
a critically low level, are still openly sold in the markets.
He recalled that for 4 years the experts have offered the Government
to forbid the catching of all fish species, except crucian carps.
"After long efforts, the Government has finally paid attention to
this problem and has taken measures to restore the trout population in
the lake. However, the problem is evident: the state allocates money,
purchases juvenile fish, releases them into the lake, however, the fish
do not manage to grow because of illegal fishery", Gabrielyan stressed.
He said that it is necessary to implement a program consisting of
both environmental and socio-economic components to preserve the fish
reserves in the lake.
At present seven fish species are found in Lake Sevan: ishkhan,
khramulya, barbel, crucian carp, carp, bystranka and rainbow trout. As
regards the whitefish brought here from Lake Ladoga in the 1920-30s,
it is by right considered to be the main symbol of the Sevan.