Water shortages devastate Iraq’s aquaculture sector

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Fish farmers in Iraq suffered severe losses due to worsening water shortages and rising temperatures, with national production falling by more than 50 percent, the Fish Producers Association reported on Wednesday.

The Head of the Association, Iyad al-Talibi, told Shafaq News that disruptions in water releases by the Ministry of Water Resources led to a significant reduction in water outlets allocated to fish farms, causing financial losses worth millions of dinars and forcing many projects to shut down or collapse entirely.

“The production strain has driven market prices down, with fish now selling below standard rates,” al-Talibi remarked.

In response, the General Secretariat of the Cabinet formed a joint committee with the Fish Producers Association to explore alternative solutions. The proposed systems rely on advanced water recycling technologies that require only 10 percent of the water previously used, offering hope for reviving the sector.

Southern provinces—especially Dhi Qar and Maysan—have been hit hard by drought, leading to mass displacement and water outages in districts and subdistricts.