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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
© 2005 Caspian Sea Environment | #63, Golestan Alley, Valiasr Avenue, 1966733413, Tehran, I.R. Iran
Tel. No.: (+ 9821) 22059574; 22042285; 22042935 | Fax No.: (+ 9821) 22051850
E-Mail: CEP.PCU@UNDP.ORG
