russian version

F.Shakirova
(Turkmenistan)

Protection of flora and fauna habitats in Turkmen waters of the Caspian Sea

The life of people that live on the coast of the Caspian mainly depended on the sea and its biological resources, therefore protection of natural habitats has never been a question before. However, we've come to a situation when natural resources of the Caspian such as oil, caviar, fish etc. provide people who live quite far from the coast. As a result, anthropogenic impact on the sea and its coast increased. A few periods of abrupt increase of anthropogenic impact can be identified. Even when there was no direct impact on Turkmen waters of the Caspian, it had its indirect effect, such as:

• period of mass hydrotechnic construction on Volga and other rivers of the basin (the 1960’s);
• four oil booms (first before the revolution, the second in the 1940’s, the third in the 1960-1970’s, the forth is taking place at present).

Each of the periods caused abrupt changes of the Caspian biota. For instance, valuable spawning grounds were lost due to the regulated river discharge. The list of damaged areas that require immediate rehabilitation is not extensive:

• low lands of Atrek;
• flooded oil fields (fields Komsomolskoe, part of Katurtepe field and others, fields Nebitdag and Burun);
• spills of associated water at the oil fields;
• Symonov Bay (industrial discharge from Turkmen Oil Refinery), but at present water is directed to the Bay because of the sea rise;
• coastal areas of the central part of Cheleken peninsula (damage made by Cheleken Chemical Factory).

The areas cannot be considered as primary habitats but they have a negative impact both on migrating birds and high productivity marine territories in the neighbourhood. They require complete or at least partial rehabilitation (removal of the most dangerous waste, bays).

Introduction of Mnemiopsis into the Caspian can lead to unpredictable consequences if no measures are taken.

Anthropogenic impact on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea with high variety of marine and ornithological fauna is also high, and causes changes in biodiversity, as the populations of valuable species reduce, and less valuable, sometimes dirt species such as three-spined stickleback dominate.

However, fresh water resources at Turkmen coast are limited. There is only one river Atrek at the border with Iran, but its waters could not reach the sea during the last five years. It provides spawning grounds for commercial fish species of the area such as roach and carp. At present their condition is of a great concern. In the 1930’s the catch of the species was 75-80% of the total catch of Turkmen waters of the Caspian (maximum catch was recorded in 1934, which was 10,720 ton of roach and 2,100 ton of carp). Later the catch reduced to 200 ton of roach and 50 ton of carp due to various reasons such as sea level decrease, reduction of river discharge, development of irrigated farming etc. Fishing had to concentrate on kilka.

Spawning grounds of Atrek populations of roach and carp are located in downstream floods of the river.

The most close to the sea are Ajiebsky floods; Dely and Severny floods are located at 40-60 km from the sea. In the 1980-1990’s the amount of water in the river reduced due to extensive irrigation, so outside Turkmenistan Atrek often did not fall into the sea. Because of the unstable water regime the spawning grounds regime deteriorates. In the late 1960’s, a complex of reclamation works for artificial melioration of spawning grounds like construction of fish bypass channel was not successful due to some calculation mistakes and construction errors. The complex has been operated for 25 years, but maintenance has not been financed after 1990. The idea of fish channel is also out of date, there must be more modern ways of solving the problem. The main idea in this case is to provide normal water supply to the spawning grounds. To protects the habitats means to protects the two most massive ichthyofauna entities at Turkmenistan coast.

Besides, the south-eastern Caspian (Turkmen sector), from the borders with I.R.Iran to the Turkmen Bay in the north and south end of Ogurchinsky island, is inhabited by many species at the depth of 30-50 m. Most of them are found here throughout the year. Therefore it is necessary to protect this area. The area is developing, so it is possible that anthropogenic pressure will increase. The main threat is a possibility of pollution due to economical activity and extension of oil fields. As it is almost impossible to prevent the activities, it is necessary to use environmentally friendly technologies to minimise the impact on the nature.

To support the biodiversity of Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea the following activities are proposed:

• construction of a fishery in Turkmenistan. It could be located in the river Atrek delta after the water supply issue has been resolved;
• construction of a complex fish industry in river Atrek delta;
• establishment of small-scale enterprises to produce sea food;
• development of protection measures at Toozboysky lakes;
• foundation of a National Park in the West Turkmenistan.

The main threats to the biodiversity are:

• introduction of invasive species;
• offshore oil and gas exploration;
• regulatio n of water discharge;
• poaching;
• introduction of pollution with river discharge;
• illnesses;
• sea level fluctuations;
• eutrophication.

1. Review and Role of Habitats of the Caspian Sea
1.1 Support of Biodiversity of the Caspian Sea

Nutrients content in the Turkmenistan sector is the highest in the Caspian.

The west part of the South Caspian looses bioproductivity due to high level of anthropogenic pollution.

Changes in the distribution of nutrients make the south-east part of the Caspian one of the most important areas for protection of biological diversity of the Caspian. The value of the area is that here the main objective is to protect habitats, which is more cost-effective than to rehabilitate degraded habitats.

At present, the role of the habitats of the east coast of the South Caspian is underestimated. It is well known that the availability of phosphates in the Caspian is a limiting factor for the biota.

As a result of regulation of the Volga discharge, the phosphate content in the North Caspian significantly reduced, therefore the main spawning grounds moved south. Due to high pollution, the east coast is the most productive in the South Caspian. Unfortunately, there is no information on the Iranian sector.

All sturgeon species that come from different spawning grounds, of various size and age, feed in the Turkmenistan sector of the Caspian. The most valuable feeding ground is the area from Cheleken island and island Ogurchinsky to Iranian border.

The following actions are required to support the biodiversity of the Caspian:

1. Construction of a fishery in Turkmenistan. It could be located in the river Atrek delta after the water supply issue has been resolved. However, it is possible to commence the work in Turkmenbashi area using local labour and intellect (personnel of former affiliate of the Caspian SIF). Food base could be developed locally considering the available resources of Artemia etc. Release of juveniles from the fishery could be done along with the commercial breeding. Financing of the fisheries could be a compensation for foreign oil companies operating in the Caspian.

2. Construction of a complex fish industry in river Atrek delta will help to solve employment problem in the area. Alternative work positions will allow to reduce illegal fishing in the area.

3. Establishment of small-scale enterprises to produce sea food (lobsters, shrimps, molluscs) in populated areas where the most of residents are poachers (villages Kyzylsu, Gasankooli etc).

4. Development of protection measures at Oozboysky lakes (reserve habitat used as a stop-over during mass migrations, required seasonal protection).

5. Foundation of a National Park in the West Turkmenistan (including development of regulatory acts, study of the area, scientific basis, zonal construction etc).

There are 4 pilot projects at national and regional level to resolve the problems.

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