CAIRO: MP Osama Gado called for the preservation of the High Dam and Lake Nasser, especially since the security of these "strategic water storage areas "is directly related to national security. The People's Assembly's proposals and complaints committee convened to discuss the renovation of key areas in Aswan such as the High Dam and Lake Nasser. Gado stressed that problems in this area need to be addressed and solved. "All the government bodies should join forces [to protect] this area, he said. Lake Nasser is some 550 km long and 35 km across and produces around 70,000 tons of fish a year. However, Ibrahim Moussa, senior official at the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, warned against the smuggling of fish. Gado echoed his sentiment, confirming fish smuggling in the area by fishermen and companies and denying the existence of any problems that would force them to resort to it. Gado recently went on a visit to Lake Nasser, accompanied by a special delegation, to listen to the complaints of the fishermen and companies that operate in this area. "Their only demand was floating the price of fish, making it subject to market [demand]. And they got what they were asking for, he told Daily News Egypt. Last July, the governor of Aswan reached a deal with the companies and independent fishermen who work in the lake to float the prices of fish, Gado said. And while the smuggling has decreased, the problem still persists, he added. The committee also discussed the presence of alligators in the lake. "There are conflicting reports regarding the exact number of alligators in the lake. However, it is clear that the authorities [are not doing anything to combat it], Gado told Daily News Egypt. According to Gado, some reports place the number of alligators in the lake at over 5,000, while others say they are only around 1,000. With a daily consumption 12 kg of fish each, alligators are believed to be the reason behind the decrease in the lake's fish production in 2008, he added.
