ArmInfo.The Armenian government, represented by the Ministry of Environment, has imposed a six-month ban on the export of whitefish roe, a salmon species, from the territory of the Republic of Armenia. The decision, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on December 25 at its regular meeting, comes into effect on January 2, 2026.
As stated in the explanatory note to the document, the need for this resolution stems from the requirements of food security in the Republic of Armenia, the sustainable use of Lake Sevan's biological resources, and the preservation of biodiversity.
"As a result of the process of regulating industrial whitefish fishing in Lake Sevan, an increase in whitefish biomass has been observed in recent years in Lake Sevan (in 2019 - 2668 tons, in 2020: - 2345 tons, in 2021 - 5348 tons, in 2022 - 4700 tons, in 2023 - 3974 tons), which makes it possible to carry out commercial fishing in small quantities (300 tons in 2020, 300 tons in 2021, 600 tons in 2022, 600 tons in 2023 and 679 tons in 2024 and 1123 tons in 2025).
However, the increasing biomass of whitefish in recent years still does not ensure normal growth and optimal abundance of wild fish species in the lake (according to some scientific data, the total stock is up to 10,000 tons, with the commercial catch being approximately 2,000 tons or more). Based on the above, it can be concluded that the Republic of Armenia still lacks a wild fish species whose caviar would be of commercial value, as the fish stocks still need to be continually increased.
Considering the significant negative anthropogenic impact on the lake in recent decades and the emerging consumerist attitude toward bioresources, in order to prevent possible negative consequences, based on the need to organize the protection and normal reproduction of wild fish of high commercial value, this legal act provides for the introduction of a ban on the export of whitefish caviar from the territory of the Republic of Armenia," the document states.
