Photo credit: Gurgen Khanamirian (Armenia)
Review: Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
This trout farm shown in the inserted photo is located in the north of Armenia and specializes in growing rainbow trout, brown trout and Sevan trout.
Aquaculture represents the key fishery system in Armenia representing around 90% of total fish production during the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 before declining to 71% in 2013.
Trout aquaculture is a main farming system in Armenian representing 62%, 60%, 54% and 56% during the years 2010, 2011, 2011 and 2012 respectively. In tonnage, trout production amounted 3100, 3800, 4800, and 6500 tons during the mentioned years. The remaining quantities are attributed to cyprinids, sturgeons and European catfish.
The artificial propagation of Sevan trout (Salmo ishchchan) which is indigenous to Armenia was first practiced in the 1920s to support the industrial fishery of Lake Sevan. Afterwards, the introduction of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) took place for aquaculture.
Rainbow trout is the most widely produced trout species in Armenia, although many of the farms also deal with brook trout and Sevan trout.
Although the indigenous “Sevan trout” has a slower growth rate, and is easier to be excited than rainbow trout, the species is gaining popularity among consumers and producers especially in the light of its hardy nature and higher tolerance disease compared to rainbow trout as well as its higher price.
In regard to trout farms, only one trout farm was there in the 1970s, which used underground artesian water resources. The number of trout farms steadily increased reaching about 200 farms of different sizes and productivity. Although some trout farms are made of earthen tanks, almost all of the leading trout-farming enterprises use concrete tanks.
In order to utilize the nutritionally-rich effluent of trout farms, in some farming systems, carp ponds are surrounding trout farms. In such system, carps are not fed with commercial feed while rely only on the nutrients discharged from trout ponds. In addition, the outer carp ponds provide a physical protection to trout properties against illegal visits.
