The whitefish reserves in Lake Sevan have grown again.
Bardukh Gabrielyan, Director of the Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, said at a press conference on December 11 that by the data of 2005 the whitefish reserve in Lake Sevan made up 400-450 tons. Last year that indicator was about 300 tons. The expert hopes that if the population keeps growing, it will be possible to lift the ban on whitefish fishing in the Sevan in several years. The minimum whitefish reserve is 1 thsd tons.
A regards the Sevan trout (ishkhan), despite the project on annual release of juvenile fish in the lake, the ishkhan reserve remains unchanged. The reason is the illegal fishing during the spawn period, as well as the construction of small-scale hydropower plants on the rivers flowing into the Sevan.
Gabrielyan also pointed out the need to increase the population of koghak (Sevan khramulya) and beghlu (Sevan barbel). The restoration of the whitefish population needs 5-8 years, ishkhan - 10-15 years, and koghak - 20-25 years.