Baghdad shuts more than 1,300 illegal fish ponds in water-protection drive

BAGHDAD – Baghdad Operations Command said Tuesday it has shut down more than 1,300 unlicensed fish ponds since mid-August as part of efforts to protect irrigation canals and water allocations for agriculture.

In a statement, the command said, “A total of 1,310 unlicensed fish ponds were dismantled, and 286 unauthorized water pumps were removed,” between Aug. 15 and Nov. 30, 2025.

The operation forms part of a broader national campaign targeting unauthorized fish farms that officials say are straining Iraq’s already fragile water resources. Many ponds were built without government approval and draw large volumes of water from the Tigris and Euphrates at a time of deepening drought.

Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources recently said it has dismantled 12,000 unauthorized fish farms as part of an ongoing campaign to remove violations on rivers and protect water distribution.

The ministry has described water violations as among the most serious challenges to its work because of their impact on water allocation, agricultural planning and the continuity of drinking water supplies. It said violations include establishing fish-breeding lakes without legal authorization, installing pumps directly on riverbanks and encroaching on citizens’ water shares, and in some cases on the rights of one governorate at the expense of another.