Tour boat operators in Dukan decry fishing nets

DUKAN – Owners of tour boats on the Dukan Lake in Sulaymaniyah are voicing concerns over fishermen’s net placement, which disrupts tours near the dam and mountain slopes.

Fishing nets spread haphazardly across Dukan Lake have led to the breakdown and stalling of tourist boats.

Hama Kareem, a tour boat operator, shared his frustrations: “The lake is littered with nets, making navigation akin to traversing a minefield. There’s no oversight of the fishermen’s activities. Our boats suffer daily malfunctions while we conduct tours.”

Threads from these nets often entangle the propellers of boat engines, leading to malfunctions.

“Just today, a net’s rope caught in the engine’s fan, causing a breakdown. We were stranded for about an hour until a friend arrived to assist with repairs.

Hama Kareem says it’s embarrassing him in front of guests and preventing them “from offering a smooth journey through this picturesque location. It’s perplexing why fishermen continue to increase the number of nets when the water is nearly still.

“Moreover, not all those casting nets are traditional fishermen; some are employees, further competing with us by offering tourist rides, thereby affecting our earnings.”

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