Al-Anbar orders legal action against illegal fishing

Shafaq News- Al-Anbar

Al-Anbar Provincial Council ordered legal action against people using illegal fishing methods in the Euphrates River in Ramadi, a local official said on Sunday.

Moayad Al-Dulaimi, spokesperson for the council, told Shafaq News that some violators use prohibited methods, including electric shock devices and explosives, which kill large numbers of fish and other aquatic life, force fish to migrate to other areas, and disrupt breeding seasons, leading to a decline in fish stocks across the province.

Environmental specialist Sinan Hammoudi warned that illegal fishing is depleting fish populations faster than they can naturally recover. The use of banned methods, including electric shock devices, explosives, and toxic substances, “would harm both fishermen and the local economy by reducing fish production, driving up prices, and increasing reliance on imported fish.”

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