Anglers Angry: Electro-Shock and Toxic Wastes Lead to Less Debed River Fish
Davit Antaranyan, a lifelong angler, says that there’s a premeditated plot to destroy the fish in the Debed River.
“I don’t know who is destroying the fish. And I’m not the only one complaining. All the anglers up and down the river are up in arms. They say fishermen are coming in from Georgia and electro-shocking the water, and that’s why the fish are disappearing,” says Davit.
He says the Georgians come in the winter to “shock” the water, a time of year when local anglers from Alaverdi stay home.
Davit also believes that the toxic wastes following into the river from the Akhtala Enrichment Plant is causing great damage as well.
He claims that the tastiness fish around are pulled from the Debed River and that people come from all over to partake bit that fish stocks have plummeted.
Davit Antaranyan | Serzhik Karganyan |
“I eat some of what I catch and sell the rest,” says Davit. “I take the fish to Yerevan, sell them, and buy other things with the proceeds. He confesses that in Yerevan he can sell one kilo at 3,000 AMD while the same amount goes for 1,500-2,000 in Alaverdi.
Local angler Serzhik Karganyan also complains about the vanishing fish and blames the Akhtala Plant as the culprit.
Karganyan says he also can’t say who is electro-shocking the water and collecting the dead fish from the surface, but that this illegal method is being practiced.
He says that local police remain indifferent to such fish poaching methods.
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