Anbar releases 10 million carp fingerlings into Habbaniyah Lake

ANBAR — Authorities in Anbar released 10 million common carp fingerlings into Habbaniyah Lake on Saturday as part of efforts to enhance fish stocks and support food security in the governorate.

The Fallujah district administration said the fish, produced at the Suwaira hatchery, were released by the Directorate of Agriculture’s animal resources department as part of a broader strategy to develop the fisheries sector and support the local economy.

The release follows the Ministry of Water Resources announcing in March efforts to restore and rehabilitate Habbaniyah Lake by directing increased inflows, after an improvement in water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates driven by this year’s rainfall and floods. Recent storms boosted Iraq’s strategic reserves by around 6 billion cubic meters — a significant turnaround after authorities said reserves had dropped to their lowest levels in roughly 80 years in 2025 due to prolonged drought and reduced upstream flows from Turkey and Iran.