Reducing water level in Turkey rivers – barrier for spawning pearl Kefali

A decrease in river levels due to drought in recent years complicates the migration of pearl kefali from Lake Van in the east of Turkey into fresh reservoirs.

Every summer this type of fish begins its difficult path to spawning from one of the most salty lakes of the world into the fresh rivers flowing into Van. This process lasts from April 15 to July 15.

However, against the backdrop of a low amount of precipitation and excessive evaporation, the water level both in Lake Van and in the rivers continues to decline, which negatively affects the breeding of pearl kefali.

Due to the low water level, the fish cannot rise to the upper parts of the streams, which you say to the productivity of the propagation process.

In particular, this year there is a decrease in this population of fish off the coast Delichey, where as a rule the process of migration of pearl kefali is most observed.

The producer of documentaries and the operator Tahsin Jaylan captured the pearl Kefal in the Erjish area

According to him, the amount of fish in streams this year is very low. “Pearl Kefal was observed in our latitudes for many years. When the level of salinity of Lake Van increased to 19 ppm, the fish began to lose the ability to reproduction. Therefore, Kefal floats into fresh water bodies. Unlike salmon, the pearl Keffal is returning with fry. We are now experiencing. A large tragedy. The propagation of pearl Kefali needs a source of fresh water, ”Jaylan stated.