ASSOCIATES OF HEC GORNA ARDA UNDERTAKE VOLUNTARY INITIATIVE IN SUPPORT OF THE BALKAN TROUT POPULATION
08.06.20153000 newly hatched fish of the endemic species Salmo trutta fario were released into a river in the Rhodope Mountains
Associates of EVN Gorna Arda Development, together with colleagues from other companies of EVN Bulgaria’s group, carried out a fish-stocking activity in the Rhodopes in the end of May. The environmental initiative aims to assist the recovery of the strongly declining population of the Balkan trout (Salmo trutta fario), a unique for Bulgaria species, endangered not only by poaching but also by displacement by invasive foreign species that are not typical for the country’s ichtyofauna (e.g. rainbow trout and brook trout). The river, where 3000 newly hatched Balkan trouts were released within a 3-km section, had been specifically chosen to provide optimal living conditions for this biological species.
The Balkan trout is one of 51 fish species, included in the main list of the National Biodiversity Monitoring System, maintained by the Executive Environment Agency. The monitoring system ensures timely and reliable information about the environmental state and the factors impacting it, which serves as the basis for making analysis, assessments and forecasts for environmental protection activities.
Expressive of its responsibility to the community and nature, EVN Bulgaria and its subsidiaries participate in a variety of initiatives for sustainable development and protection of the environment. As regards biodiversity, EVN both executes its own projects and supports activities of environmental organizations related to conservation of endangered species and their habitats in Southeastern Bulgaria.
EVN Gorna Arda Development supports the realization of the Gorna Arda hydropower cascade project, where the majority shareholder EVN AG partners with NEK.