The quantity of fish received daily by a landing point in the Razim-Sinoe lagoon complex, in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, has fallen tenfold over the past seven years amid declining water levels in the lagoon system.

Diana Niculae, manager of a fish landing point in the commune of Jurilovca, told AGERPRES that the quantity of fish collected by the facility has dropped from 1,000 kilograms per day in 2019 to just 100 kilograms per day at present.

'Since 2019, fish production has continued to decline, with even traditionally abundant species such as bream and roach no longer being available in the quantities seen in previous years. For example, today (Thursday - editor's note), our fishery received approximately 100 kilograms of fish, purchased from authorised fishermen and obtained through confiscations. Normally, at this time of year, quantities would reach as much as one tonne per day,' said Diana Niculae.

She explained the situation as being caused by the low water level in the Razim-Sinoe lagoon complex, which has been affected by climate change.

Fishermen from the commune of Sarichioi who attended a debate organised on Thursday by the Intercommunity Development Association for the Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) - Danube Delta financial instrument also said that the start of the fishing season in the Razim-Sinoe lagoon complex has been marked by poor catches.

'Fishing has started, but there are no fish because of the heat and silting. Solutions do exist: dredging and creating a connection with the Black Sea so that the water in the lagoon complex becomes brackish again and oxygen levels in the lakes improve,' said Laurentiu Dinescu, a fisherman from the commune of Sarichioi.

Commercial fishing resumed at the beginning of the week in the Danube Delta and in all natural habitats across Romania, except in aquatic resource protection zones specified in the order approved last year by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture.

In the Danube Delta, recreational fishing for pike, pike-perch, catfish and carp is permitted only on a catch-and-release basis, with the exception that anglers may retain a single specimen per day from one species only.

In addition, recreational anglers in the reserve may not transport more than 10 kilograms of fish per angler or 15 kilograms per family, regardless of the number of days spent fishing. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Luisiana Bigea; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)