The first task of the CRTC was the preparation of the First regional workshop on the protection of Caspian Biodiversity. The work programme, the structure and the guidelines for the preparation of National Report were prepared. The First Regional workshop was held in Kokshetau, Kazakhstan in July 1999. National biodiversity experts from five Caspian Countries, UNDP experts, and UNV representatives participated in the workshop. The meeting discussed the state of biodiversity protection in each of the Caspian states, agreed on the work programme for the Biodiversity Center and the structure of the National Biodiversity reports. The timetable for the preparation of the National reports was discussed and agreed during the meeting. The meeting report in English and Russian languages was distributed to National Coordinators, national experts, ISCF, international convention secretariats and related projects. Detailed report from the meeting was also published in the Ecological Newsletter published by the Ministry of environmental resources and protection of Kazakhstan.

As agreed at the meeting the first draft of National Biodiversity Reports was due in December 1999 and the final version in March 2000. Unfortunately due to the lack of financial support from UNDP (except for Kazakhstan) the contracts for the preparation of National reports were not issued until now. For Kazakhstan the contact was awarded in January 2000.

The first draft of the Kazakhstan Biodiversity National Report is ready. About 12 experts from national Institutes of the Academy of Sciences contributed to the report. Many published and unpublished materials from these institutes were used as well as data from local brunches of environmental protection ministry, forest and fish resources ministries were compiled. "Kazakhstankaspiyshelf" and OKIOK kindly provided the results from their ecological investigations of the Caspian Sea. The national report includes information on the present status of biodiversity in the Kazakhstan part of the Caspian Sea and its coastline, status of endangered species and risk factors, the state of biodiversity protection, legal and institutional base of biodiversity protection and specific recommendation for national and regional biodiversity conservation measures.

In September 1999, the Center sent letters to all National Focal Points in Caspian Countries requesting the nomination of National Experts responsible for the Preparation of National reports. All countries except Turkmenistan have officially nominated their experts. The CRTC director Dr. Bolshov had meetings with Dr. Savari (I.R.Iran), and Dr. Tagiev (Azerbaijan) in October 1999, and Dr. Puzachenko (Russia) in December 1999 to discuss the progress in preparation of National reports. In these countries the preparation of National reports is progressing, even the contracts were not yet awarded. In Azerbaijan the report is almost ready, in Russia the report is 50 % completed, and can be ready within one-two month. There is no information from Turkmenistan and Iran. It is important to stress the necessity of urgent provision of contacts for the preparation of national reports, so they can be finalized by May-June 2000. The three-four months delay in the preparation of national reports is expected.

The work of the center was primarily focused on the preparation of possible contribution to the TDA. The center prepared draft formats for the biodiversity part, which will be presented at the TDA experts meeting on March 10 in Almaty.

During 1999, the Biodiversity CRTC was represented at the following workshops and meetings organized by the CEP and other related projects:

• First and second meeting of Fisheries CRTC (Astrakhan)
• Meeting of Legal and Regulatory Instruments CRTC (Moscow)
• Meeting of ICAPAM CRTC in Teheran
• Meeting of ERACL CRTC (Teheran)
• Meeting of Pollution Control Theme (Teheran)
• Data management Workshop (Baku)
• Meeting to Exchange Experience with Other International Waters Programmes (Moscow)
• Caspian Sea Floating University Meeting (UNESCO) (Astrakhan)
• Ecotoxicology Project Meeting (PADECO) (Baku)
• Identification of Projects and Project Cycle Seminar (TACIS) (Almaty)

The Biodiversity CRTC is closely working with other international projects in Kazakhstan. The Center was actively involved in the preparation of the Project Brief for the GEF project: "Integrated Conservation of Priority Globally Significant Migratory Bird Wetland Habitat: A demonstration in Three Sites".

According the work plan, the center initiated the development of ecological library and more then 30 books and reports are now available in the center.

In the area of public awareness the center established close relations with local NGO "Caspiy Tabigaty" (Caspian Environment) and local society for natural protection. The Biodiversity CRTC initiated the participation of Kazakhstan children in the contest organized by CEP and UNDP in the Caspian countries. Several ecological lectures on the state of the Caspian biodiversity were organized by the Center in the ecological school N1 in Atyrau.