Withdrawal in Lake Van will extend pearl mullet's migration journey

Van

In addition to the drought that has been effective in recent years, the retreat on the shores of Lake Van, whose level has decreased due to excessive evaporation, continues.

The recession in some shallow water points will also affect the migration route of thousands of pearl mullets, which migrate every year from the salty and soda water of Van Lake to the fresh waters.

Fish that reached the stream beds in a short time due to the high water level before will have to cover a longer distance on their migration path to fresh waters due to the withdrawal this year.

Van Yüzüncü Yıl University (YYÜ) Faculty of Fisheries Doctor Faculty Member Mustafa Akkuş told Anadolu Agency (AA) that there are only a few days left for the difficult migration journey of pearl mullets living in the salty and carbonated waters of Van Lake every year.

Stating that measures are taken to protect the fish that swim against the flow of the water and overcome the obstacles they encounter by flying almost every year, Akkuş said, "There are only a few days left before the migration starts, but there is a question in our minds: There were withdrawals of almost 2-3 kilometers in some parts of Lake Van, there are decreases in the flow rates of the rivers, how will this withdrawal and the decrease in the water level affect the fish?

Pointing out that many people in the region make a living from fishing, Akkuş said, "The continuation of fishing depends on the journey of pearl mullets to the rivers during the breeding period."

"A difficult migration journey awaits the pearl mullet"

Emphasizing that pearl mullet is as important for tourism as the city's economy, Akkuş said:

"The migration route of the fish has been extended. The distance from the point where the stream empties into the lake in the past is almost 2-3 kilometers from the lake today. Therefore, pearl mullets will have to cover a distance of 2-3 kilometers more than last year. To go to the upper reaches of the streams, they have to enter the lake from a point farther than the point they entered last year. That's not the only problem. One of the biggest problems is the decrease in water flow rates due to global warming. For this reason, a more difficult migration journey awaits the pearl mullet compared to previous years. The rapid decrease in the flow rate of the streams increases the temperature and the oxygen level decreases. At this point, we need to help. We need to prevent sudden water cuts in rivers, especially illegal fishing. We hope that the precipitation will increase and thus the flow rates of the rivers will increase."