Caspian environmental programme: fisheries conservation and management

Project description and benefits

The project is focusing on the recovery of fish stocks in the Caspian Sea. Recent years have seen significant declines in Caspian fish stocks. These declines have been primarily as a result of over fishing by the fisheries of the littoral states and, to a lesser extent, contamination and environmental issues. The sturgeon is a species of major commercial importance in the Caspian region and the recovery of this species will form an important component of the project. By seeking to strengthen the fisheries management activities within the member littoral states and by promoting the coordination between the states, the project aims to redress the decline in fish stocks and to instate the foundations for a sustainable and profitable Caspian fishery.

Services provided by Cefas

Cefas staff engaged in a number of activities aimed at strengthening research capacity in order to provide scientific background for the regional management of the Caspian fisheries. This has involved reviewing the present state of fisheries data, surveys and research methods. On the basis of this an assessment of training needs was conducted and a series of regional training courses, covering topics such as population dynamics and stock assessment, facilitated by project and Cefas staff.

Collaboration between Caspian fisheries scientists from the various states is being developed through a range of work shops, discussion groups and research visits. The collaborative research will be further enhanced through the development of methodologies for determining a regional stock assessment. In addition assistance is being provided to local scientists to undertake assessments of their own important fish stocks.