Fishermen of Lake Qaroun in Fayoum governorate (south of Cairo) suffer from the suspension of fishing in the lake since 2015 due to the disappearance of fish due to the spread of the deadly insect "Isoboda", which lives and feed on fish.
Isoboda is a saltwater crustacean species that adapts to temperature, pressure, salinity and lack of oxygen. It relies on blood and lives in fish gills and fins.
Lake Qarun is located in the northwestern part of the province, about an hour away from the Egyptian capital, and is one of the oldest natural lakes in the world.
Until recently, the lake's water was fresh and its fisheries thrived and was the source of thousands of fishermen's income.
The fishermen complain of ignoring the solution of the problem that caused them to lose their source of livelihood, and forced thousands of citizens to migrate to other provinces in search of a source of livelihood.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture stresses that it is seeking to solve the problem and develop the lake, noting that the dumping of agricultural and industrial drainage in the lake is a major factor of fish pollution.