Fishermen Protest: Boats Only Catching 5 Fish Per Day

Fishermen in Gegharkunik Province have blocked the Yerevan-Sevan highway, protesting against the fishing ban. They claim that from April to September, they were allocated a fishing quota of 250 tons. During this period, there have been around 1,000 motorboats on the lake, meaning each boat is expected to catch 250 kg of fish. This amounts to daily catches of just 1.5 kg, or about 3-4 fish.

From September 1 to October 15, an additional 100 tons of fish have been permitted for catch, meaning each boat gets an extra 10 kg of fish. “That means a person has to burn gasoline, use a vehicle, and run a boat for only 5 fish a day. We proposed that payment be based on the price of fish, meaning if fish costs 100 drams, each boat would pay 10,000 drams; if it costs 150 drams, they’d pay 15,000 drams. The tonnage should be distributed to sellers, not to catchers. Still, in these 6 months, around 10,000 tons of fish have exited Sevan, and the state has received only royalties for 350 tons. In other words, both the royalties from the 10,000 tons could have been collected, as well as 10-15 thousand drams depending on the fish price,” one fisherman stated.

Another protester confirmed that fishing is their only source of income. “Neither the Minister of Environment nor the regional governor understands this lake. We know much better when to fish and when not to; they should leave us alone. With the current allowance of 4-5 fish a day, how are we supposed to feed our families?” he said.

Gegharkunik Regional Governor Karen Sargsyan met with the blocked citizens. He informed reporters that the issue is quite profound, as commercial fishing has not been allowed since 2004. Officials in charge have committed to regulating the sector. “We all understand that when a long-unregulated sector is being organized, certain problems may arise. For two days now, the order has been in effect, and our citizens have encountered specific issues. That’s why they are raising their voices of protest. We have agreed that this weekend, they will articulate and submit their issues in writing to the Ministry of Environment. The most significant achievement is that our fishermen agree to work within the law as a result of reasonable regulations,” the governor said.