In a bid to boost dwindling fish populations, Armenia has ordered all fish hooks out of Lake Sevan, one of the world's largest high-altitude lakes and Armenia's biggest fresh-water source.
As of December 5, no boats are allowed on the 940-square-kilometer lake. As a holiday concession, the fishing ban will be partly lifted from December 28-31 -- bad news for the carp and the crawfish -- but then will be reinforced until late January. Catching other types of fish will be prohibited throughout the entire period.
Environmentalists have long contended that years of unrestrained fishing and water drainage have caused a dramatic reduction in the lake's fish population and water levels. Carp populations have dropped from 30,000 tons in 1980 to just 170 tons in the recent years, Armenian environmentalists say.
Struggling to mitigate the environmental problems, the Armenian government has set up a group to save Sevan's eco-system. One of the prime tasks ahead -- increasing water levels by 20 centimeters per year.
Giorgi Lomsadze is a journalist based in Tbilisi, and author of Tamada Tales.
Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none.