The 11th International Pearl Mullet Migration Culture and Art Festival has started in Van

The ’11th International Pearl Mullet Migration Culture and Art Festival’ started in Erciş district of Van to raise awareness for the continuation of the pearl mullet, whose hunting is prohibited. The magnificent journey of the pearl mullets, living in Lake Van and migrating to fresh waters by swimming against the flow of water during the breeding season, continues to create beautiful images. The festival, which will last for 3 days as every year, started at the fish bend area known as the fish weir on the Bendimahi Stream, where they use to release their eggs from soda water to fresh water. The festival, organized in collaboration with Van Governorship, Erciş District Governorship, Vangölü Electricity Distribution Inc., and other private companies, attracted great interest in the challenging journey of pearl mullets.
“This pearl mullet migration is a world wonder” During a speech at the festival, Van Governor Ozan Balcı thanked those who contributed to the organization. Governor Balcı, expressing that the pearl mullet is a value of the world, stated, “We need to pass on this value to future generations by preserving it. For this, all our institutions and citizens are working tirelessly together. We spent 150 million lira for cleaning the lake bed mud to protect Lake Van. Also, we built treatment plants as part of conservation efforts. Our goal in doing these is to protect Lake Van and the pearl mullet. In fact, this pearl mullet migration is a world wonder. Almighty God created it this way. It is a special beauty for Van and Erciş to have this blessing.”
“We aim to promote the festival at the national and international levels” Erciş District Governor Murat Karaloğlu, stating that our region is now associated with culture, tourism, and festivals rather than terrorism and security problems, said, “We aim to promote the pearl mullet festival at the national and international levels. Besides providing enjoyable time to our guests, we aim to make our region an important tourism and destination center by protecting and promoting the pearl mullet, which only lives in Lake Van in the world. So far, we have been working around the clock for 7 days with our Governorate, security forces, and other stakeholders to protect the pearl mullet and increase its population. Thanks to the measures, we observe awareness being shown in all segments of society during the migration period of the fish.” Van YYU Faculty of Fisheries Dr. Mustafa Akkuş, thanking the gendarmerie, especially involved in the conservation efforts, stated that the pearl mullet fish has been migrating from Lake Van to rivers for 800,000 years. Akkuş also thanked Prof. Dr. Mustafa Sarı, Dean of Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University Faculty of Maritime, who conducts scientific studies on the pearl mullet migration. The festival, which continued with a Janissary band and children’s folk dance show, was attended by Van Governor Ozan Balcı, Erciş District Governor Murat Karaloğlu, Elif Arslan, the VEDAS Erciş Operations Manager, institution authorities, and many citizens.