Directive to preserve water resources
Closure of fish ponds in Kirkuk leads to price surge
KIRKUK – The closure of fish ponds in Kirkuk and its surrounding areas has led to an increase in fish prices, with the cost per kilogram of fish rising by about 3,000 Iraqi dinars ($2).
The Kirkuk Water Resources Directorate provided data to 964media showing that all fish ponds in the city have been removed, with previous fish projects declared unauthorized.
Saeed Mohammed Abedin, a fish pond owner affected by the demolitions, told 964media that each owner has suffered losses of around 10 million dinars, impacting the livelihoods of more than a thousand families who depended on these ponds.
Before the demolitions, the price for a kilogram of fish in the Kirkuk region was 4,250 dinars, but it has since jumped to 7,000 dinars.
Mohammed Mehdi, director of the Kirkuk Water Resources Directorate, told 964media that pond owners had been warned to stop operations to avoid significant losses. Those who failed to comply saw their ponds destroyed by authorities.
Mehdi said this measure is in line with directives from the Iraqi Council of Ministers to protect water resources. He added that any new fish ponds would be immediately demolished.
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