Around 500 Million AMD To Failed Artificial Fish Breeding Project in Lake Sevan

Around 500 Million AMD To Failed Artificial Fish Breeding Project in Lake Sevan

RA government will allocate 495 million 691 thousand AMD for "Complex program for the restoration of Sevan trout stocks and development of fish farming" project. The decision was reached by the executive at the meeting held on April 13. The money from the reserve fund of RA 2023 state budget will be allocated to the annual expenses of “Sevan Trout Reserve Recovery and Fish Breeding Foundation”, those of "Sevan Trout" and "Sevan Aqua" CJSCs.

The reason for the allocation of additional money is that the future activity of "Complex program for the restoration of Sevan trout stocks and development of fish farming" is currently at risk due to the existing financial problems of “Sevan Trout Reserve Recovery and Fish Breeding Foundation”. Due to the problems, it is possible that the entire parental composition, which is the genetic resource of the two subspecies of the trout, will disappear, which can lead to the complete elimination of endemic fish species.

According to the rationale, it is planned to release about 200 thousand small fish of different sizes into the ecosystem in 2023 in order to restore the natural resources of two subspecies of trout.

It should be noted that RA government allocated AMD 300 million for measures aimed at the recovery of the fund back in November 2022. Before that, 9 billion AMD was allocated from the state budget as a donation for the trout breeding program in Lake Sevan, but the program not only did not justify this donation, but also accumulated debts.

Also in 2019, RA Prosecutor's Office studied the documents regarding the results of the control over the financial and economic activities of " Sevan Trout Reserve Recovery and Fish Breeding Foundation" and "Sevan Trout" and "Sevan Aqua" CJSCs founded by the latter. It was found that a part of the 9 billion AMD allocated from RA state budget for 2013-2018 for the implementation of the statutory goals of the foundation and companies was embezzled or squandered through unreasonable and purposeless expenses using various transactions and schemes. A criminal case was initiated regarding these facts.

April 17, 2023 at 15:58