Armenia’s government bans whitefish roe exports for six months
The restriction starts 2 January 2027. The government says it aims to protect food security and reproduction of whitefish in Lake Sevan.
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The restriction starts 2 January 2027. The government says it aims to protect food security and reproduction of whitefish in Lake Sevan.
Armenia’s government adopted a temporary ban on whitefish roe exports. The six-month restriction begins 2 January 2027, Civic.am, a news site close to the governing Civil Contract party, said. Roe is fish eggs.
The published draft covers Armenian-origin whitefish roe exported from Armenia, including transfers to Eurasian Economic Union countries. It defines the covered products by commodity codes 0302 91 000 0, 0303 91, 1604 32 001 0 and 0511 91 901 9, so exporters handling those goods will be barred from sending them abroad during the restriction.
The government’s justification cites food security, sustainable use of Lake Sevan’s biological resources and biodiversity conservation. It says the measure is intended to prevent potential harm associated with exports of valuable roe and protect natural reproduction, which it identifies as important for sustainable commercial fishing.
The justification gives the following estimates of whitefish biomass—the total weight of the fish in the lake. The series fell in several years before rebounding in 2025.
| Year | Biomass, metric tons |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 2,668 |
| 2020 | 2,345 |
| 2021 | 5,348 |
| 2022 | 4,700 |
| 2023 | 3,974 |
| 2024 | 1,293 |
| 2025 | 3,591.8 |
The government says stocks remain insufficient for normal growth and an optimal population. It cites unspecified scientific data referring to total stocks of up to 10,000 metric tons and commercial catches of around 2,000 metric tons or more.
A separate government decision set a 550-metric-ton commercial whitefish catch quota for 2026, equivalent to 40% of commercial stocks. The Scientific Center of Zoology and Hydroecology recommended the quota based on an assessment of stocks as of October 2025. That decision regulates fishing, rather than roe exports.
The published draft directs Armenia’s economy minister, at least 3 calendar days before the restriction takes effect, to notify the Eurasian Economic Commission and submit a proposal for an export measure covering the same goods leaving the union’s customs territory. The proposal would await the commission’s consideration.
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