The hunting prohibition that lasted for three months during the breeding season of the pearl mullet, a native fish species found in Lake Van, has now come to a close.

With the start of the season on Saturday, hundreds of fishermen set out to the lake with their boats in the early morning hours.

The pearl mullet is a species that lives in the highly carbonated waters of Lake Van, but it cannot reproduce there because of the salinity of the water.

It migrates to freshwaters by swimming inversely to the flow in its spawning period between April 15 and July 15.

Every year between April and July, fishing ban is initiated in the lake to protect the species.

During this three-month spawning period, the pearl mullet undertakes an extraordinary journey upstream through the tributaries of Lake Van to lay its eggs, displaying a remarkable ability as it jumps against the current.

The awe-inspiring migration attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to the region yearly, eager to witness this natural spectacle.

This reproductive migration exposes the fish to the challenge of seagulls, which prey on the migrating species.

After 90 days of separation, the fishermen who cast their first nets into the lake look forward to a bountiful hunting season, hoping for a plentiful catch.

They can fish for pearl mullet until April 15.