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Minister calls for cutting water for fish farms in half
YEREVAN, May 31. / ARKA /. Armenia's nature protection minister
Aramayis Grigoryan said the volume of water used by fish farms should
be cut in half.
Speaking at a parliament discussion on 2013 budget execution, he said
most of fish farms are concentrated in the Ararat Valley, using water
from artesian wells.
A recent USAID-funded study, managed by Clean Energy and Water
Program (CEWP), has revealed that over the last 6-8 years, the level
of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley that has the bulk of
fish farms, has significantly decreased, leaving over 30 communities
without reliable access to potable and/or irrigation water.
Last year the government gave 18 months to all fish farms in the
country to shift to semi-closed water recycling system, whereby some
70 % of the water is used several times thus contributing to its more
efficient use and reduction of costs.
The transition suggests installment of expensive new technology, the
price of which, depending on the size of farms, may range from 700,000
to 1.5 million euros.
According to the agriculture ministry, fish production last year rose
by 2,800 metric tons to 11,600 tons. ($1- 405.29 drams).
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- See more at: http://arka.am/en/news/economy/minister_calls_for_cutting_water_for_fish_farms_in _half/#sthash.1yk1kEKb.dpuf
YEREVAN, May 31. / ARKA /. Armenia's nature protection minister
Aramayis Grigoryan said the volume of water used by fish farms should
be cut in half.
Speaking at a parliament discussion on 2013 budget execution, he said
most of fish farms are concentrated in the Ararat Valley, using water
from artesian wells.
A recent USAID-funded study, managed by Clean Energy and Water
Program (CEWP), has revealed that over the last 6-8 years, the level
of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley that has the bulk of
fish farms, has significantly decreased, leaving over 30 communities
without reliable access to potable and/or irrigation water.
Last year the government gave 18 months to all fish farms in the
country to shift to semi-closed water recycling system, whereby some
70 % of the water is used several times thus contributing to its more
efficient use and reduction of costs.
The transition suggests installment of expensive new technology, the
price of which, depending on the size of farms, may range from 700,000
to 1.5 million euros.
According to the agriculture ministry, fish production last year rose
by 2,800 metric tons to 11,600 tons. ($1- 405.29 drams).
-0-
- See more at: http://arka.am/en/news/economy/minister_calls_for_cutting_water_for_fish_farms_in _half/#sthash.1yk1kEKb.dpuf