KHUJAND, July 11, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Fishermen from open joint-stock company, Sughd Mohi, have caught a 20-kilogram silver carp from the Qairoqqum reservoir in the northern Sughd province, the source at Sughd Mohi said.

According to him, the Sughd Mohi fishermen have caught more than 21.8 tons of fishes for a total amount of 147,593 somoni over the first six months of this year.

Sughd Mohi is the only one fishing enterprises in the province and 71 persons now reportedly work for Sughd Mohi at an average wage of 295 somoni.

The silver carp is a species of freshwater cyprinid fish, a variety of Asian carp native to north and northeast Asia.  Pound for pound, more silver carp are produced worldwide in aquaculture than any other species.  Silver carp are usually farmed in polyculture with other Asian major carps, or sometimes Indian major carps or other species.  It has been introduced to, or spread into via connected waterways, at least 88 countries around the world.  The most common reason for importation was for use in aquaculture, but enhancement of wild fisheries and water quality control were also important reasons for importation.

We will recall that according to the Sughd flora and fauna preservation department, fish reserves of the Syr Darya River in northern Tajikistan have fallen at least five times since 1996.  Thus, fish reserves of the Qairoqqum reservoir were 500 tons in 1996, while at present they are only some 100 tons.

At present nineteen species of fishes, including sturgeon, trout, pike, roach, redeye, sheatfish, marinka, bream, silver carp, carp, asp and others, reportedly inhabit the basin of the Syr Darya River.