YEREVAN. – Armenia’s 2011 State Budget allocated 60 million drams (US$ 158,420) for releasing small fish into Lake Sevan, Yerkir daily writes.

“[But] Conversing with several fishermen of the Gegharkunik Region, our correspondent found out that fish has reduced considerably, or, more correctly put, it does not exist. ‘Fish is drained out of Sevan,’ the fishermen said, adding that, although they pay regular payments for each boat, to ‘go out to the sea,’ there is no fish.  

According to other news, Sevan’s fishermen really do pay 30-40 thousand drams ($79-$105), for each boat, to enter the Lake. As per our information, by paying that much, the fishermen can go to out to the Lake everyday, for one or 1.5 months. Furthermore, when [Sevan] National Park’s inspectors seize the fishing nets and corresponding equipment, they sell them back to the fishermen.  

Previously, when there was no supervision whatsoever, around 400 boats used to go out to [Lake] Sevan, every day, but today their number is close to 100. So, by simple mathematical calculations, [it becomes clear that] Sevan National Park is ‘making’ 3 million drams ($ 7,920), per month, out of thin air. 

According to rumors, this deal is conducted with the knowledge of Karen Malkhasyan (a.k.a. Yezo), Head of Protection at Sevan National Park.  

The Ministry of Nature Protection informed us that they have no such information, that industrial fishing is prohibited, at present, and that solely crab is allowed to be caught, albeit the crab population has reduced, too,” Yerkir writes.