Government Contacts & Information resources for Commercial Fishing, Seafood, Aquaculture, Marine & Oceans in Armenia

Armenia is a landlocked country with an area of 29 800 km and limited natural resources. The country is divided into two major catchments: the Araks basin in the southwest and the Kuri basin in the northeast. The Black Sea cannot be reached without passing through Georgian and Turkish territory. Access to the Mediterranean is only possible through Turkey. Towards the east, Armenia’s route to the Caspian Sea passes through Azerbaijan.

Fishing in Armenia has long been of importance for both sport and commerce, and is allowed anywhere apart from protected areas. Lake Sevan supports extensive commercial fishing, representing 90% of fisheries. Following the decrease in the level of the lake, the key fish species caught have changed from Sevan trout and 'koghak' to whitefish and goldfish (see below table). Since 1996, commercial fishing in Lake Sevan has been based on licences and contracts issued through the Ministry of Nature Protection.

Table: Catches of commercial fish species in Lake Sevan (in tonnes, totalled over five-year periods):

Years	Whitefish (sig)	Sevan trout (ishkhan)	Koghak	Goldfish (tsatsan)	Barbel (beghlou)
1966-1970	2692	895	-	-	21.9
1971-1975	3840	317	796	-	7.8
1976-1980	4825	244	1375	-	0.04
1981-1985	6158	2.6	1273	-	-
1986-1990	8673	-	927	10	-
1991-1995	4529	-	148	386	-

Armenian Aquaculture Resources Information:

The country has hundreds of water bodies countrywide, with 10 major natural lakes, 15 major rivers and 5 canyons. The catch from these waters is an important element in Armenian food supply. The largest water body is Lake Sevan, almost 100 m dep in places and lying at 1 924 m above sea level. It is fed by 28 streams but has only a single outlet. Species found include Sevan trout, whitefish, carp and rainbow trout. Sevan Lake trout is much in demand, not only in Armenia but also in the Russian Federation and elsewhere. However the Sevan lake trout is in danger due to overfishing and serious action is needed to saving the species.

Both capture and farmed fish contribute to Armenian fish production. Being landlocked and without access to major rivers, fishery potential is mainly determined by the Lake Sevan fishery.

Armenia’s continental climate favours carp farming at lower elevation, but average rainfall is low and water supply is a constraint in many areas. However, farmers in the Ararat Valley have access to well water and can keep their fish in water with a stable temperature of 11 to 15°C, independent of season. In this way, fish grow all year round, so production potential much higher than in areas where growth stops in the winter due to low temperatures. In Lake Sevan, fisheries low water temperature and low natural fertility limit fish production.

Commercial fish farming in Armenia started in the 1950s in the Lake Sevan area, with the construction of hatcheries for Sevan trout andcoghak. The second development was construction of pond farms for production of table fish, mainly carp species (common, bighead, silver) and trout. The farms were big, normally hundreds of hectares, and mostly constructed in areas with salty soils (poor land unsuitable for other agriculture). Water was pumped from rivers. In the 1980s, the effects of pollution reduced the wild catch of fish, and in some cases also negatively affected the health of fish in ponds. Nevertheless, in this period, pond farms produced 5–6 000 t/year.

Fishery and Aquaculture Country Profile for Armenia - aquatic species caught by country or area, by species items, by FAO major fishing areas, and year, for all commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes. The harvest from mariculture, aquaculture and other kinds of fish farming is also included.

AQUASTAT is FAO's global information system on water and agriculture developed by the Land and Water Division. It collects, analyses and disseminates data and information by country and by region. Its aim is to provide users interested in global, regional and national analyses with comprehensive information related to water resources and agricultural water management across the world, with emphasis on countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Information for Armenia