"Let's Make Holes" Campaign

February 28, 2025

Campaign "Let's Make Holes – Save Fish from Suffocation!!!"

The Glubokoye District Inspectorate of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection reports that in order to prevent fish mortality during the winter period, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection annually initiates the environmental campaign "Let's Make Holes – Save Fish from Suffocation!".

The aim of the campaign is to draw the attention of amateur anglers, heads of organizations, and simply indifferent citizens to the problem of fish suffocation and mortality.

A significant amount of snowfall and frosty weather contribute to the formation of an ice crust on the surface of water bodies, blocking access to atmospheric air and oxygen, which can be accompanied by mass fish and fry mortality in many freezing water bodies.

The most effective measures to prevent winter fish suffocation include the following activities:

- Liming of water bodies;

Liming promotes the decomposition and accelerated mineralization of organic matter, as well as improves the gas regime and neutralizes the acidic reaction of water. Unslaked lime is applied to the water body at a rate of 1–2 c/ha. When using slaked lime or ground limestone, the application rates increase by 1.3 and 1.8 times, respectively.

- Making ice holes in water bodies;

The number of ice holes depends on the area of the water body and averages 3–5 pcs/ha. Ice holes should be located in the center of the water body and along its perimeter, where the depth of the unfrozen layer is 50–60 cm. To prevent ice holes from freezing over, it is necessary to install sheaves made of reeds, cattails, and other hollow "breathing" plants in them or to hang bags of salt in such ice holes at a rate of 5 kg/bag. Technical salt, which is used for cleaning boilers in boiler houses, can be recommended as salt.

- Aeration of water bodies.

Aeration is defined as the process by which air comes into close contact with water, by spraying water into the air or by passing air bubbles through water. In addition, an aeration method is used that involves hydrodynamic mixing of the water body.

If you discover a fish kill phenomenon, you must inform:

in leased or gratuitously used fishing grounds – lessees and users, as well as the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora under the President of the Republic of Belarus;

in fishing grounds of the reserve fund – local executive and administrative bodies, the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora under the President of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection and its territorial bodies.

As part of the campaign, the Glubokoye Inspectorate, together with the Glubokoye RO "OSVOD", drilled holes and created openings in the water area of Lake Mushkat to saturate the water with oxygen.

Chief Specialist A.V. Gapanyonok