On January 15, the program of intense supervision measures aimed at banning whitefish fishing due to whitefish spawning period ended on January 15. However, this does not mean that whitefish can be caught if state bodies weaken control. According to Environment Ministry, the industrial fishing season in Lake Sevan ended on October 15, 2021, before the start of a new fishing season by the decision of RA Government.
As a result of control measures, 2667 whitefish were confiscated, the damage to the environment was estimated at 5,221,500 AMD.
It should be noted that during the last 9 years, the largest indicator of whitefish stock in Lake Sevan was recorded in 2021, according to the Center for Zoology and Hydroecology of NAS RA. In 2013-2018 the total biomass of fish increased year by year, from 1296 tons to 2948 tons, then after 2018 it decreased to 2668 tons in 2019 and 2345 tons in 2020. In the same way, the industrial production of fish decreased to 667 and 586 tons, respectively.
In 2021, whitefish stocks in Lake Sevan increased compared to the previous year. If in 2020 the total whitefish stock in the lake constituted 2345 tons, out of which the industrial stock made up 586.25 tons, in 2021 the total whitefish stock accounted for 5348.32 tons, out of which the industrial 641.80 tons.
The director of Center for Zoology and Hydroecology of NAS RA Bardukh Gabrielyan told "EcoLur" that the reasons for the increase in fish stocks were the coronavirus outbreak in 2020 and the 44-day-long war.
January 18, 2022 at 10:56