The Department of the Fisheries Industry under the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan has presented an extensive plan for the restoration of biological resources in the main high-altitude lakes of the country. This initiative is being implemented as part of a presidential decree adopted on July 10, 2023, which introduced a moratorium on commercial fish catch in the waters of Issyk-Kul and Son-Kul.
According to the approved schedule, 14.1 million juvenile fish will be released into Issyk-Kul Lake in 2026, while the release of 3.5 million fry is planned for Son-Kul Lake. The focus is on the reproduction of valuable species such as Issyk-Kul trout, carp (common carp), and lenok. All planned activities have been coordinated with the Institute of Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, and experts from this institute emphasize that artificial stock replenishment is critical for maintaining ecological balance in the presence of 26 fish species in Issyk-Kul.
It should be noted that in the past two years, the work on fish stocking has been carried out with no less enthusiasm. In 2024, over 27 million fry were released into both lakes, and in 2025, this figure was approximately 19 million. Along with fish stocking, specialists from the relevant department, in cooperation with divers from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the environmental police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, continue to clean the lakes from poaching synthetic nets. This systematic approach, combining a ban on fish catch and active reproduction, is aimed at restoring the fish wealth of these water bodies.
