One-week ban on net fishing
Over 100,000 carp fingerlings released into Darbandikhan Dam to boost local fisheries
DARBANDIKHAN — More than 100,000 carp fingerlings were released into Darbandikhan Dam on Thursday, a move by the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Agriculture aimed at enhancing fish stocks in the region.
Located on the Sirwan River, about 65 kilometers southeast of Sulaymaniyah, Darbandikhan Dam serves as a crucial resource for power generation, agriculture, and tourism. It is the second-largest dam in the Kurdistan Region, following the Dukan Dam.
Sulaiman Muhammad, the district official of Darbandikhan, emphasized the local dependence on the dam for fishing, noting a high demand for fish consumption in the area. “Our goal is to increase the fish resources in the Darbandikhan Dam,” he said.
To ensure the survival of the newly released fingerlings, the district’s Forestry Police will enforce a one-week ban on small-scale net fishing in the designated area of the dam, Muhammad added.
Fingerlings, which are young fish about the size of a finger, are often released into bodies of water as part of sustainable fisheries and environmental conservation efforts. These initiatives aim to bolster local fish populations, enhance biodiversity, and support the commercial fishing industry.
The release follows last year’s introduction of approximately 150,000 fingerlings into the same dam. The Kurdistan Region hosts 17 main dams, with a collective annual storage capacity exceeding 10 billion cubic meters of water. Prominent among these are the Dukan, Darbandikhan, and Duhok dams.
In late July, the region’s Ministry of Agriculture also announced the release of 45,000 fingerlings into Chamrga Dam in Erbil and 200,000 at Dukan Dam in Sulaymaniyah, continuing efforts to enhance local fish farming capabilities.
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