Fishing ban on pearl mullets lifted in Van Lake

VAN

Fishermen have started casting their nets for pearl mullets, the only endemic species in Van Lake, following the government's decision to lift the fishing ban on July 15.

Pearl mullets migrate from the lake’s salty water to its freshwater during their spawning period, leading to a fishing ban to be implemented on the lake between April 15 and July 15 every year.

As the fish swim against the flow of the water and jump over the obstacles during the migration, they offer a visual feast to scores of local and foreign tourists paying a visit to the lake especially to witness the incident.

After the three-month ban on pearl mullet fishing was lifted, fishermen launched their boats into the water, following the completion of maintenance and repair works.

Province Agriculture and Forestry Director İbrahim Görentaş stated that they made great efforts to protect the species during their migration and provided details on the process to the local media.

Underscoring that 185 individuals were subjected to an administrative fine of 2.5 million Turkish Liras for violating the ban, Görentaş said, “In the course of these investigations, our crews managed to catch 77 tons of fish, of which about 20 tons were alive and returned to the wild.”

Görentaş also highlighted that this year's heavy rainfall has contributed to an increase in fish populations. He pointed out that the fish successfully completing their migration journey without any problems, thanks to the hunting ban, will lead to further growth in the lake's fish population in the future.