Data Zone
Country/territory: Armenia
IBA criteria met: A1, A4i, B1i, B2 (2000)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 4,639 hectares (46.39 km2)
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2013 | not assessed | medium | very low |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2000 baseline)
Armash area is the largest fishery in the Araks valley of Armenia, with 1,514 ha covered by a total of 29 fish-ponds, each between 11 ha and 95 ha in size. The Araks valley is mainly semi-desert with extremely salty soils. The vegetation is basically halophytic, with mostly goosefoot Chenopodium, pepper-grass Lepidium, saltwort Salsola, camel's thorn Alhagi and bean caper Zygophyllum. Marshes, wetlands, channel shores and ponds are densely vegetated with reeds and forbs, mixed with Typha, Carex and sparse tamarisk.
Key biodiversity
The reedbeds cover edges of ponds, or grow in islet-shaped patches taking up approximately 30-50% of the water area, thus providing suitable cover and breeding places for grebes, cormorants, egrets/herons, rails, ducks and other birds.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Armash fish-farm (Armenia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/armash-fish-farm-iba-armenia on 23/12/2024.