The Ministry of Environment has circulated the draft government decision "On applying a temporary ban on the export of whitefish fry from the territory of the Republic of Armenia" on the e-draft.am platform for the publication of legal acts and drafts.
As a result of the process of regulation of industrial fishing of whitefish in Lake Sevan, in recent years there has been an increase in biomass of whitefish in Lake Sevan (in 2019: 2668 tons, in 2020: 2345 tons, in 2021: 5348 tons), which makes it possible to ensure the implementation of small quantities of industrial fishing in Lake Sevan. (300 tons in 2020, 300 tons in 2021, 600 tons in 2022). However, the trend of increasing whitefish biomass in recent years still does not ensure the normal growth and optimal number of wild fish species in the lake (according to some scientific data, the total stock is up to 10,000 tons, industrial catch is about 2,000 tons and more).
Based on the above, we can state that in the Republic of Armenia we still do not have such a wild fish species, whose spawn has a production value, because it is still necessary to continuously increase the volume of the fish species.
Taking into account the initial and pilot nature of the process of regulation of industrial fishing of whitefish in Lake Sevan, as well as the great negative anthropogenic impact on the lake and the consumer attitude towards bioresources formed in recent decades, it is necessary to prevent possible negative consequences, to organize the preservation and normal reproduction of wild fish species with high industrial value. Based on this, it is planned to establish a ban on the export of whitefish fry from the territory of the Republic of Armenia.