In 1998, fish resources in Lake Sevan totaled 10788 tons, reducing to 625 tons in 2005 and 278,6 tons in 2009.

“The main reason for such decline is poaching. Unless strict measures are taken the situation will not improve,” said Yuri Gerasimov, expert of Water Biology Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The worst problem, according to him, is the use of electric fishing rods, which kill both big fish and fry.

For his part, director of the Institute of Hydroecology and Ichthyology at the Armenian Academy of Sciences Bardukh Gabrielyan said that two out of four kinds of trout in Lake Sevan have disappeared and the remaining two are endangered.

He also said that that carp and crucian are undesirable populations in the lake, as these hamper spread of trout.