ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Fish pond owners in the Kurdistan Region are using banned and dangerous chemicals amid limited oversight and public awareness, officials and fishery experts told Rudaw, urging stricter government enforcement.
During an episode of Rudaw’s Legel Ranj program, aired on Sunday, a fish pond owner from the Taq Taq area, southeast of Erbil, described a culture of self-medication and a lack of information in the industry.
“There is no awareness,” he said. “I have no information on the medicine… Everyone is a doctor for themselves.” He also claimed the authorities were “not helping me, and in most aspects they are an obstacle,” citing inconsistent electricity supply.
Veterinarian Omed Idris echoed these concerns, stating, "Every pond owner thinks they are a scientist." Idris warned of the severe health risks associated with these unregulated practices. “It is bad for you. It is bad for the fish. The people who eat the fish will face problems,” he said.
He further cautioned that some farmers are using harmful chemicals such as formalin - an aqueous solution of formaldehyde typically used to treat fish diseases.
According to Idris, the formalin “compound stays in the fish” and is sometimes used excessively, contaminating natural water sources. “It is bad for you. It is bad for the fish. The people who eat the fish will face problems,” the veterinarian stressed.
“This entire sector needs to be completely regulated,” he said.
Shukri Omar, director of a major fishery in Duhok province, labeled the use of formalin “a crime” and confirmed that it “is officially illegal.”
Similarly, Bestoon Najmadin, director of fish resources at the Kurdistan Region’s agriculture ministry, told Rudaw that importing the substance is banned and that a crackdown is underway.
The import of formalin “has been made illegal” due to its harmful nature, Najmadin said, adding that orders will be issued to administrative committees across provinces to seize any amount of the compound and prosecute offenders.
Another fish pond owner participating in Legel Ranj claimed formalin was still easily available. “If you want, I will go buy it now from a doctor in Erbil,” he said, alleging that some clinics illegally sell the compound.
Fish farming methods and risks
On a broader level, Najmadin reported that the Kurdistan Region currently meets about 65 percent of its fish demand through over 5,000 licensed fish ponds covering more than 14,000 dunams.
He suggested improving electricity access through the government's Runaki project - meaning “light” in Kurdish - which aims to provide round-the-clock power across the region by the end of 2026. Enhanced electricity access could boost fish production, Najmadin said.
However, a dispute arose over the use of tilapia.
Omar stated that fishery in Duhok province is the largest in both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, with carp being the dominant species. He argued that tilapia could also be a viable option due to its adaptability.
Idris strongly disagreed, stating, “Tilapia is not suitable for our environment,” adding that “it causes problems for the habitat of other [local] fish, which are already struggling.”
Of note, Iraq’s federal agriculture ministry is reportedly working to curb the spread of this invasive species due to its negative impact on aquatic ecosystems, including its resilience and rapid growth, which allow it to overtake habitats, displace native species, and disrupt ecological balances.
Idris also highlighted the environmental drawbacks of traditional mud ponds, advocating for plastic ponds as a more sustainable alternative.
“Instead of destroying their land,” he advised farmers to consider plastic ponds, which can produce more fish with less water and better disease control. A plastic pond costing two million Iraqi dinars (around $1,500) can yield up to three tons of fish in four to five months - comparable to the output of a one-dunam mud pond, he said.
However, Idris warned that alternative farming methods could expose fish to heavy metals, posing risks to human health. Omar countered, stating that properly maintained plastic ponds are less likely to release microplastics and offer better resistance to environmental wear.
Water and climate pressures
The challenges facing the Kurdistan Region’s fishing industry come amid broader regional concerns.
In February, Jassim al-Asadi, head of the Nature Iraq environmental non-profit, stated that Iraq has lost 95 percent of the fish in its southern marshes due to climate change.
The decline is largely driven by chronic water shortages.
Approximately 75 percent of Iraq’s water supply comes from neighboring Turkey and Iran, while only 20 to 25 percent originates domestically. Both countries have built numerous dams on the shared Tigris and Euphrates rivers, while Iraq lacks binding water-sharing agreements with either.
The United Nations Global Environment Outlook 6 report stated that Iraq is in a precarious The United Nations Global Environment Outlook 6 report identified Iraq as “the world’s fifth most vulnerable country to decreasing water and food availability and extreme temperatures.”
This vulnerability is due to multiple factors, including a faster rate of warming than the global average, reduced rainfall, and upstream damming by neighbors. The consequences are already evident, with reports of internal displacement, desertification, and threats to public health and food security.
