Fighting to save the ‘King of Lake Ohrid’

Technicians checking the Ohrid Trout fingerlings in a hatchery before being released back into the Lake Ohrid in Albania’s Pogradec. Albania and Northern Macedonia, which both border Lake Ohrid, have signed agreements to ensure the trout’s survival, as a major uptick in tourism in the area has seen large amounts of development along the body of water’s banks. The Ohrid Trout has long been a staple in the lake’s crystal-clear waters. — AFP

ALONG the picturesque shores of Lake Ohrid, things have taken on a frantic pace at the Lin Hatchery in Albania’s Pogradec, as a team of specialists races to release the final batch of newly spawned trout this season.

The hatchery specialises in breeding the “Ohrid Trout” – an indigenous species in the ancient lake that has struggled for years to maintain a healthy population amid habitat destruction, overfishing, and rampant pollution.