EcoLur
The text of the preliminary call to the politicians, public figures, businesses, civic initiatives and creative unions have been disseminated via the network of the Public Environmental Alliance and other social networks about saving Sevan from uncontrollable program undermining Lake Sevan ecosystem. The text says:
“Public Environmental Alliance to All: Wanting to Make Sevan into Fish Breeding Farm
The Public Environmental Alliance is calling to politicians, public figures, businesses, civic initiatives and creative unions and citizens:
Once again Sevan is exposed to huge danger. “Complex Program for Recovery of Trout Reserves and Fish Breeding in Lake Sevan” program has been submitted for the approval of the Armenian Government.
The project has been submitted as an environmental one, though the content of the project directly contradicts to RA Law “On Lake Sevan”. The preamble of the law says, “This law sets the legal and economic grounds of the state policy on natural development, recovery and reproduction of natural resources, the conservation and use of Lake Sevan as the ecosystem of strategic significance of the Republic of Armenia, having environmental, social, scientific, historical and cultural, esthetic, health, climatic, recreational and spiritual values. LAKE SEVAN IS STRATEGIC TREASURY OF FRESHWATER IN REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA”.
The proposed project plans to make the trout production up to 50,000 tons per year by 2023 in nurse ponds. For this purpose 500,000 tons of artificial forage containing nitrogen and phosphor will be thrown in the lake each year. These very elements ensure increased fish growth – increase in unit weight for each unit of forage. We don’t have any data what will happen with the fish as a result of the artificial forage. Scientific projects like this are complex demanding much time and lots of funds. So far the Institute of Hydroecology and Ichthyology is carrying out the analysis of forage and analysis of water sampling taken in the spots of nurse ponds to detect the content of polluting substances – nitrogen and phosphor. The available results of water analysis can’t replace costly studies need for the approval of such programs. On the other hand, nitrogen and phosphor are the very pollutant promoting the waterlogging of Lake Sevan. RA Law “On Lake Sevan” lays down measures to prevent lake waterlogging, particularly on increase in water level by 6 meters. Reminder: the increase in water level has already led to huge efforts and expenditure of funds in regard with laying new roads, power lines, destroying main buildings located below the mark of 1903.5 meters etc. The Armenian budget already now spends around 1 million USD for the conservation of Lake Sevan ecosystem. And so what, we should sacrifice all this for the sake on fish business interests? We will refer to the project, which clearly states that 1.5% of the fish will be left in the lake, while the rest will be sent for sale.
The authors of the project make a reference that they will use only 0.03% of all the lake and this is much less than the adopted limitations for nurse ponds in reservoirs in other countries. Such comparisons are wrongful. First of all, the specially protected areas, at least in absolute majority of the European countries are banned for business activities affecting on the protected ecosystem. Secondly, Sevan is protected with special RA law “On Lake Sevan” and it’s senseless to make comparisons with the countries, which don’t have such a priority as Lake Sevan.
Committee on Lake Sevan Ecosystem Preservation, which held a working consultation on this project, is willing to undertake the function of project monitoring. Nevertheless, the Committee doesn’t have a supervising function, it’s just a consultative body. If the Committee even issued a negative opinion about the further development of this project, it won’t be binding.
The findings of the monitoring will be unavailable for public. It should be noted that even now the committee members refused to publicize the results of water sampling for pilot fish farm carried out by the Institute of Hydroecology and Ichthyology. The refusal to publicize the results said that the studies were paid by “Emmi Fruit” Companu and the results are owned by the company.
The project says that the Fund for Sevan Conservation will be replenished, as 200 AMD will be transferred to the Fund from the sale of each kilogram of the fish. It’s expected that around 23 billion AMD will be transferred to the Fund by 2023. This figure hasn’t been confirmed. Nobody can guarantee how much fish will survive, if, for example, frosts start, how much will die and how much will be on sale. It’s unclear who will estimate these losses or profits, as the project doesn’t say anything about it. The project clearly shows that a group of people is interested in using Lake Sevan as a free reservoir for fish breeding and to become a monopolist in this field. This is a business project, where top officials are willing to invest their share in the form of Sevan.
Almost simultaneously with this project the State Committee on Water Industry of Territorial Administration Ministry again tabled a proposal to increase water outlets from Lake Sevan up to 240 million cubic meters instead of the current 170 million prescribed by RA Law “On Lake Sevan”. This time the justification was not the drought, but the deteriorating condition of underground waters of Ararat Valley because of over-use of water by fish farms.
Reminder: the liability for poor management vests on governmental officials, who, on one hand, issued permits, where water can be used more than the volume of the water resource itself. On the other hand, lack of sufficient control over illegal water use. As a result, the underground water resources got exhausted and fertile earth turned into saline land areas. Instead of punishing those guilty and to hold an urgent discussion on the recovery of Ararat Valley ecosystem, inviting scholars and specialists, the easiest solution was found – to use the water of Lake Sevan without taking into consideration its consequences.
The Alliance thinks the destruction of the lake ecosystem, deterioration of water quality may have irreversible and disastrous consequences for the whole country and region. Lake Sevan ecosystem should be conserved, while the water quality will be improves due to the increase in Lake Sevan water level, reduction of water pollution and installing cleaning structures. The reproduction of the trout and other fish species should take place in natural conditions, so the spawning sites should be freed from SHPPs. River basin management plans, which flow into the lake, should be adopted, which will include clauses referring to the removing household and industrial wastes polluting the river. The development of the mines, the wastes of which will eventually penetrate into Lake Sevan should be banned. First of all, we speak about Sotq gold mine, which is open pit mining and has a crushing and sorting complex, i.e. ore processing activities banned by law. The problem with illegal constructions on the shore of Lake Sevan should be finally solved plus the problem of garbage.
IF SEVAN IS DESTROYED, ARMENIA WON’T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO COSNERVE.
December 20, 2013 at 16:50