Gold mining in Homalin Township, northern Sagaing Region has silted up and polluted lakes, rivers and streams so much that fish resources have been severely depleted.
Gold mining is happening in many rural areas of Homalin Township, often in lakes and streams close to villages.
A local fisherman explained that in the streams and lakes where gold mining is happening there are large deposits of sediment and the water has become very muddy. This has led to a decline in fish stocks and hardships for locals who rely on the fish for food and income.
He said: “In the past, we could catch about 3 viss (nearly 5 kilograms) of fish with just one throw of the net. Now, even after casting it 10 times, it’s hard to get even 1 viss. The water’s so muddy now, the fish just aren’t there anymore.”
He went on to explain: “When the water gets too muddy from gold mining, the fish just flee. Their habitats are being destroyed, so there aren’t many fish left anymore.”
Many people in Homalin Township villages rely on fishing in rivers and lakes for all or part of their livelihood needs. As fish stocks have dwindled in Homalin Township local fishermen have faced hardships.
In Homalin Township, nine villages—Thahpankone, Marlon, Upper Hehkam, Eipin, Pinmakhaw, Moelin, Mawsein, Lower Hehkam, and Kuntaung—are now facing a significant decline in fish stocks.
Homalin Township has 13 lakes large enough for commercial fishing, and 16 fishing sites on those lakes are leased annually through a tender system. Before the goldmines started polluting these lakes, about 6,000 tons of fish were harvested from them every year.