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Habitat Protection Action Plan for the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea

The Habitat Protection Action Plan was prepared by a group of specialists headed by Professor V.P.Mitrofanov. It includes zonal distribution of habitats, description of conditions of each area, threats to habitats and proposed actions for protection of habitats at national and regional levels.

Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea can be divided into 6 large areas by principle of habitat condition, i.e. each area is associated with special habitats. They are as follows:

• Area between Ural and Volga;
• Delta and downstream of Ural;
• Shallow areas of the North-East Caspian and adjacent coastline;
• The deepest open sea of the North-East Caspian;
• Shallow waters of the Middle Caspian and adjacent areas;
• Island biotopes of the North Caspian.

Low depths and flat coasts covered with water plants are typical for the shallow waters between Ural and Volga. The area is impacted by fresh-water input of the Volga that results in high amount of fresh-water Crustaceans and brackish organisms. Various birds and mammals inhabit the reeds of the coastal areas. Sea level fluctuations and surges and retrieves cause the most significant negative impact. This leads to the loss of such rare flora species as Nymphaea Alba, water chestnut, waterwheel plant Aldrovanda vesiculosa. At the same time, sea level rise results in the significant increase of the area covered with reeds.

The Ural delta is of a high value as a stop over for migrating birds and as a nesting ground. It is located on the migration routes of anadromous and semi-anadromous species, spawning and feeding grounds of fish species, a migration route of juveniles and feeding ground of fine-mesh fish species and sturgeon. River input of toxicants that settle with the suspended particles in the delta and coastal areas of Ural causes the main negative impact in the area. Illegal fishing is a serious problem in the area, threatening both the migrating species and sturgeon.

Shallow areas of the North-East Caspian represent the flattest section of the coast with high salinity. Surges and retrieves have a significant impact on the area, surges can flood of 30 km of inland areas. The coastline is located at 10-50 from the reeds. The area is a valuable habitat of migrating and nesting birds, the deeper areas are used by semi-anadromous species as feeding grounds and are inhabited by resident marine species. The main threat is oil pollution of the coast that washed down to the sea with surges, and a few hundred of abandoned wells that were flooded during the sea level rise.

The North-East Caspian a migration route and a feeding ground for most of the fish species inhabiting the North-East Caspian. The area is not impacted by anthropogenic activities, therefore there is no direct threat to the region. At the same time, the beginning of oil operations can result in the increase of shipping and oil pollution from accidental spills.

Coast of Mangyshlak is a migration route and feeding ground of sturgeon, herring and other marine fish. Due to the large depths, the direct impact of pollutants is not so high. The most significant negative factor is accumulation of nuclear waste in Koshkar-Ata storage in Aktau, as well as accumulation of drilling mud and cuttings from oil wells.

The main biotopes include biotopes of Tulenyi islands, Kulali is the largest of them. They are used as breeding grounds by seals in autumn and winter. During other seasons, the islands are inhabited by birds. Another type of islands here is shalugy, made of shell debris. They are located in the north-east part of the sea and are used by birds.

The Action Plan includes a detailed description of each region, its fauna and flora, significance for rare and endangered species. A list of the Red Book species is also provided, with reference to their habitat. Introduced species are also considered. Rehabilitation of degraded spawning grounds of sturgeons is proposed in scope of a pilot project.

The proposals to protect biotopes and biodiversity are as follows:

The following actions should be carried out at national level:

• Train high-qualified specialists.
• Get the population ready to accept unpopular decisions on complete abandonment of sturgeon catch and make the legislation on fisheries more rigid.
• Identify sections of the coast to improve the recreation conditions and extend ecotopes.
• Develop legal regulations fro fishing in zones of the highest threat.
• Sort the question of organization, terms and status of protected areas of the North-Easter Caspian and its coast.
• Inventory of the biodiversity of Kazakhstan part of the Caspian and its coast.
• Improve local public awareness.

The following actions should be carried out within the international cooperation:

• Develop and sign an international convention on fishing including measures to protect fish stocks.
• Sign an agreement on shipping routes in the open sea and in the oil exploration fields.
• Establish an international service for prevention of illegal fishing.
• Establish an international institute of problems of the Caspian independent from the national structures.

The following pilot projects could be proposed:

• Foundation of Atyrau National Reserve for protection of grounds of mass nesting and moulting of waterfowl.
• Foundation of a national preserve on one or a few islands to protect nesting and moulting grounds of rare bird species and breeding grounds of seals.

Both projects require preliminary feasibility study.

Low population density is a peculiarity of Kazakhstan coast of the Caspian, along with the absence of cities excluding Aktau. This reduces a possibility of mass impact on the environment. At present actual threats to the habitats include oil industry on the coast, potential development of offshore oil and gas fields, storage of uranium waste Koshkar-Ata near Aktau, potential traffic increase in the North-East Caspian.

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