Video: What Fish Breeders Discuss with the Minister of Environment

We plan to reduce the use of underground water by 40% for fish farms through the water use permits. As a result, no fish farm will face a shortage of water. This was stated today by Minister of Environment Hakob Simidian during a meeting with fish breeders, responding to the questions of entrepreneurs who have been protesting for days.

"This means that if they currently have X amount of water, after these changes, they will still have the same amount of water. We are saying that if we reduce 1500 liters of water from an underground source by 40%, your basins will not lack water in the end, as you will push back 40% of the water into your basins. If we do not restore the waters of the Ararat Plain to renewable status, one day we will face a disaster," he said.

In response to the remark that this would not be beneficial as long as illegal wells, numbering about 970, remain open, Simidian noted: "If we eliminate or conserve the illegal wells, we will save 3000 liters instantly. The proposal we are making will save 11,000 liters per second. You are correct in saying that if we start to restore the resources, those wells that have dried up will start to flow again, but simultaneously we will carry out conservation and elimination work, and those wells will not flow, and we won’t have water loss."

It is worth noting that on November 22, the parliament adopted the draft amendment to the Water Code in the second and final reading, which stipulates that fish farming enterprises in Armenia that draw water from underground wells must utilize water circulation saving systems. As Minister of Environment Hakob Simidian stated when presenting the draft law, such systems should allow for the reuse of at least 40% of the water.

For more details, watch the video.