Fish farms in Iraq dry up amid lack of rain, rising temperatures

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
7 Aug 2023 12:02

The lack of rain combined with rising temperatures has brought water levels to critical lows -- in particular in Iraq's Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

This aerial view shows dry fish farms in the village of Albu Mustafa in Hilla, about 100 km (62 miles) south of Baghdad on July 6, 2023 (AFP)

Iraq is bearing the brunt of the climate crisis more harshly than ever now as rising temperatures continue to wreak havoc on farmers' crops and fish farming.

An AFP report on Sunday reveals that authorities have recently begun to crack down on illegal water-related practices in order to meet the country's most pressing needs.

Fish farms, for instance, constitute a prime target for authorities to crack down on.

Unless owners hold a permit, they would not be able to carry on their fish-farming activities.

According to the UN, Iraq ranks among the top five countries that are most impacted by the effects of climate change.

The lack of rain combined with rising temperatures has brought water levels to critical lows -- in particular in Iraq's Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

While the government has blamed upstream dams built by Iran and Turkey, others say that the crisis is in great part owed to water-intensive "irrigation practices".

Khaled Shamal, a spokesman for the water resources ministry, said that the crackdown on unauthorized fish farms is owed to the fact that ponds "increase the water surface susceptible to evaporation", provoke seepage into the soil, and contribute to "environmental pollution".

As of today, about half of Iraq's estimated 5,000 "unlicensed" fish farms have been shut down, Shamal added, noting that authorities still give permission to mobile fish tanks submerged in rivers.