Ice fishermen at Russia's frozen Lake Baikal

Buryati ice fishermen try to catch fish on the ice for food at Russia's Lake Baikal.

After decades of overfishing by the fishing industry, Baikal is running out of fish, and locals are bearing the consequence.

Crowned the "Jewel of Siberia", Baikal is the world's deepest lake, and the biggest lake by volume, holding 20% of the world's fresh water. In the winter, the lake 31,722 square meter surface is entirely frozen with ice averaging 2 meters thick. Its ecology is one of the world's most critical.

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Copyright: Justin Jin
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Contained in galleries: Lake Baikal

Buryati ice fishermen try to catch fish on the ice for food at Russia's Lake Baikal. <br />
<br />
After decades of overfishing by the fishing industry, Baikal is running out of fish, and locals are bearing the consequence. <br />
<br />
Crowned the "Jewel of Siberia", Baikal is the world's deepest lake, and the biggest lake by volume, holding 20% of the world's fresh water. In the winter, the lake 31,722 square meter surface is entirely frozen with ice averaging 2 meters thick. Its ecology is one of the world's most critical.