Ban on fishing with nets/Economic damage for 120 fishermen in Pogradec

2025-04-24 13:36:00, Sociale CNA

The fishermen of Lake Pogradec have reacted today to the ban on fishing with nets, imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture. This decision was taken to protect the reproduction of species such as the Kleni, which during this period is in the reproduction phase. But the fishermen say that the ban is unfairly harming them, as they aim to catch other species such as the Korani, which are not in reproduction and are not prohibited from fishing.

Ban on fishing with nets/Economic damage for 120 fishermen in Pogradec

"Currently, fishing for crucian carp, carp, carp and carp, which are wild species that breed in Lake Pogradec, is prohibited. All of us fishermen agree that these species should not be caught during the breeding period. If a fisherman is caught with any of these fish, then he should be punished according to the law.

But our work is related to the koran, which we have been fishing for many years and we do not understand how this situation arose this year. We are all equipped with licenses, we have contracts and we do not know why the ban is being applied to us as well.

"This year we are prohibited from catching koran with nets, although it is a species that is allowed. We are contract fishermen and we know that koran is only prohibited in December - in January we catch the eggs and deliver them to the koran breeding center for breeding, as stipulated in the contract," said fisherman Odise Dokollari.

Ban on fishing with nets/Economic damage for 120 fishermen in Pogradec

"We oppose this decision, because it has not happened before. We have always been careful in our work. We have fished in the depths, we have cast nets for the koran, but even when sometimes one of the prohibited species is caught, the fishermen release them back into the lake.

"Now they only allow us to fish with hooks, while we are not allowed to use nets – and hooks do not catch anything at depth. This situation directly affects us, because it has left us without food. The Koran is now on the surface, but the hook cannot catch it, while nets are prohibited," said fisherman Taulant Çorbaxhiu.

According to them, the complete ban on net fishing is unjustified and they demand that fishing be allowed at distances greater than 1,500 meters from the coast, where no breeding species are endangered.

Ban on fishing with nets/Economic damage for 120 fishermen in Pogradec

"We, as fishermen, do not catch either chub or carp – the problem is that due to the general ban on them, we are now not allowed to catch bream either. If it says 1500 meters are allowed, we do 2000 – we enforce the law, we have no problem with the rules.

"Our request to the Ministry is clear: to allow us to fish for koran, because it is permitted by law and we are equipped with licenses for this purpose. We ask that they treat us fairly and allow us to continue our work, as we have done for years," said Dokollari.

In a meeting with the mayor of Pogradec, the fishermen raised their concerns and decided to launch a petition to the Ministry of Agriculture, to request a change in the decision and allow controlled fishing for koran.

Ban on fishing with nets/Economic damage for 120 fishermen in Pogradec

"We had a meeting with the mayor and I think the response was positive. The mayor confirmed to us that he will inquire with the relevant officials in the ministry, by sending an official letter, and that we will receive a response within 24 hours."

"Today we are gathered only for the issue of the koran, not for other species, because unlike previous years, this year we are prohibited from catching koran with a net and are only allowed with a hook - which is impossible, since koran cannot be caught that way," said Dervishaj.

Ban on fishing with nets/Economic damage for 120 fishermen in Pogradec

"We don't know what we will do next. We only feed ourselves by fishing, this is the only work we do. In this situation, we will have nothing to sell and feed our families. We are not seasonal workers who go abroad - our livelihood depends only on fishing. We have jobs, but they are not letting us work," said Çorbaxhiu.

Approximately 120 fishermen in the Pogradec area depend economically on fishing, which is the only source of income for many families, and the implementation of this order places them in a difficult situation. /CNA