ECOTOXICOLOGICAL PROJECT OF THE CASPIAN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

TROUBLED WATERS IN CASPIAN SEA DUE TO CHEMICAL POLLUTION, RECURRING DISEASE AND HUMAN IMPACT, SAY ECOTOX SCIENTISTS.

Declining catches of sturgeons and other commercial fish stocks together with a high death toll of seals have raised regional and world-wide concerns about the Caspian ecosystem and human health.

Deaths of thousands of seals along Caspian Sea shores in past two years have been associated with high concentrations of DDT. Similar high levels of this agricultural pesticide have been found in fish and sediments. This was a key finding of regional and international scientists of the Ecotoxicology Project, working under the umbrella of the Caspian Environment Programme.

The unusually high death toll of seals in 2000 and 2001 raised public awareness to the problem and initiated detailed investigations. Scientists found the primary cause of death in 2000 to be an infection with canine distemper virus, known to have caused mass mortality in other marine mammal populations in recent years. In addition, high levels of pollutants, such as PCBs, DDT, and heavy metals were found in seal tissues. In particular, DDT levels in some animals were the highest ever found world-wide. Chemical pollutants at this level are known to reduce immunity to disease and may have implications for human health in the region. A third major contributor to seal mortality, specifically recorded in Iranian waters, was associated with commercial fishing. Seals were either caught and drowned in nets or killed by fishermen.

Leader of the Seal Team, Dr Sue Wilson said: "We are worried about what is happening to the Caspian seal, which is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as vulnerable. This is a species unique to the region but because we have no reliable estimate of the population size it is impossible to judge the impact of these threats."

The Ecotox Workshop in Baku, Azerbaijan, also addressed the dramatic fall in sturgeon populations. A major cause of decline is thought to be poaching, but pollution also may be a factor and if this proves to be the case there are again concerns for human health. However, this will not be clarified until ongoing toxicological studies on sturgeon tissues are finalized in the next few months.

A third element of the Ecotoxicology Study examined disease and pollution in bony fish consisting of roach, sprat and gobies. Over 500 fishes were sampled and analysed for external and internal abnormalities. Three hot spots were found: the first one, south of the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan, is noted for high oil pollution; the second one, in the central part of the south coast in Iran, has high organochlorine concentrations; while in the third instance, north of the Ural Delta in Kazakhstan, requires further investigation.

These findings emerged at the end of a three-year intensive collaboration among scientists from the five countries bordering the Caspian Sea along with international colleagues. The study was funded by the Japanese Large Scale Studies Trust Fund through the World Bank. The two-day workshop involved over 40 scientists and was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources in Azerbaijan, the World Bank, the Japanese Embassy, the oil industry, and nature conservation groups.

For further information contact:

Dr. David Aubrey, Caspian Environment Programme
Email: daubrey@caspian.in-baku.com
Tel.: 971785, room 108, 40, Government Building
Baku, Azerbaijan