Illegal fishing threatens Shkodra Lake

SHKODRA, Sept. 7 – Using explosive devices or other illegal tools is seriously endangering the fish life in the Shkodra Lake and Buna River, experts say.
The Lake has been long declared a natural resource protected from the government but that has not stopped illegal fishing in its waters.
Like everything after the fall of communism Albanians felt ‘free’ to do whatever they wanted, including fishing, which in many cases served to support the families. Albanians are poor and that has been found as a way to get some money. But what is the government doing to stop that?
One illegal way to fish has been using the electricity lines that collects a great number of fish. Hat damages the fish life always but especially at the period of the eggs. That threatens the reproduction of that species in the future. Commander of the Rangers protection force has continuously appealed to the people to stop using that fishing method. Such a police force has made efforts to stop illegal fishermen, especially those who use electricity. They have sequestered some 20 generators used by these persons. But the great space covered from the lake makes it impossible to eliminate all of these tools. The Rangers troops do not have the optimal vehicles and other infrastructure like light at night when those fishermen exercise their activity.
Environmental organizations have long expressed their concern for the illegal fishing saying such kind of fishing has serious endangered the fish reserves in the lake and the river. It is estimated that some fishes have fallen in half because of that, or more. If until 1990 some 200-250 tons of fish were collected in a year that figure has been reduced tenfold now. The environmentalist groups say the reason are the significantly greater number of fishermen and the illegal ways they use. If there were 100 fishermen in 1990 now they have increased tenfold to 1,000. Many of them do not know or recognize the normal rules of fishing.
Experts say that the laws to protect the fauna are there, the problem remains their application, implementation. They add that bringing the number of the fishing structures to the previous ones is possible if the proper research studies are first made. Besides they add that the community around the lake should have an increased awareness of the damage they suffer from such an illegal activity.
Sport fishing should not be stopped, but it should be better organized. Sport fishing has had good traditions in Shkodra and that also serves as a good attractive tool to promote tourism in the area.
Shkodra Lake has 45 different fishes, most of them living there permanently. While 12 other fish come and go to the Adriatic Sea through the Buna River. But Shkodra Lake has been well known for his carp fish because of its subtropical waters. The carp may be up to one meter long and up to 20 kilograms in weight.