FIRST REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON A REGIONAL PLAN ON CO-OPERATION IN CASES OF MAJOR OIL SPILL IN THE CASPIAN

1-2 October 2001, the MEMBERS OF GREENPEACE EXPEDITION TO THE VOLGA RIVER conducted within the framework of complex environmental program "Greenpeace Against Pollution of Environment with Persistent Toxic Substances (PTS)" visited Astrakhan. They presented results of independent analysis of the Volga river environment (sampled in Saratov, Volgograd and Astrakhan regions), reasons for mass seal mortality, PTS concentration in dairy products. Analysis of butter produced in the Astrakhan region showed considerable concentrations of dioxine, PCBs, and DDT residues, which were attributed to environmental pollution with chlororganic compounds. A complex of measures aimed to elimination of PTS sources was proposed.

PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR "LUKOILASTRAKHANMORNEFT" on the status of the Caspian environment were held 18 October, at the Committee for Natural Resources of the Astrakhan region. The experts confirmed that environmental monitoring conducted for the period from January till August in "Khvalynskaya" exploration zone where the self-propelled drill "Astra" had been functioning, revealed no negative impacts on the environment, ecosystem and bioresources.

AT THE SESSION OF ASTRAKHAN REGIONAL ASSEMBLY OF REPRESENTATIVES a suggestion to insert amendments and supplements into the Tax Code of Russian Federation was offered. These suggestions refer to introduction of federal tax on pipeline oil transportation, transfer and oil filling. Some part of this funding could be used in the regions of pipeline passage to ensure their safe exploitation and to cope with the local environmental issues. In 2002, 11 mln. t of liquid hydrocarbons are expected to be transported through the oil pipeline of Caspian Pipeline Consortium; the share of the Astrakhan region in the whole pipe length running the territory of RF constitutes 21%. Suggestion will be forwarded to the State Duma.
Source: "The Volga" newspaper

THE WORKSHOP highlighting preliminary results of the ALL-CASPIAN MARINE EXPEDITION was held on November 5-6, 2001, in the Caspian Fisheries Research Institute, Astrakhan, Russia. This expedition was carried out with participation of all Caspian littoral states in August-September 2001, in accordance with a scheduled work program of CEP/Tacis CRTC Management of Bioresources.

The expedition was the first of its kind insofar as it covered waters of all five Caspian States. The limitation was a lack of permission from Turkmenistan to include in the survey the country's near-shore waters, where sturgeons are known to feed. The Russian Federation provided three vessels that worked in different parts of the Caspian and the international community (EU/Tacis and the Government of Norway) supported the expedition financially and provided the newest available scientific echosounder. The other remarkable factor was that specialists from Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and an international experienced acoustic surveys specialist worked hand in hand sharing experience and learning new survey techniques. The spirit of cooperation was exceptionally friendly and warm.

The agenda of the workshop included presentations on results of hydroacoustic survey (K. Johanesson, T. Valinassab, S. Bushueva), hydrology (D. Katunin) food supply in the Caspian (A.Polyaninova) and status of commercial fish stocks - sturgeons (A. Vlasenko), marine and semi-anadromous fish species (S. Sedov, A. Kushnarenko).

The conclusion made at the workshop is that such surveys should be conducted on a systematic basis, at least twice a year. At the workshop Iranian specialists have offered collaboration in conducting a trawl survey of sturgeon resources. The staff of KaspNIRH did everything possible to speed up the processing of results of the expedition to make them available to all parties as soon as possible, as a tool for management of fishery resources. "I am grateful to all involved in the expedition and all who helped prepare the workshop making it a success despite very short deadlines"
CRTC for Fisheries and Commercially Exploited Bioresources
Interview with Dr. Arkadiusz Labon, CRTC Leader.

In October 2001, in the framework of IOC UNESCO "CASPIAN FLOATING UNIVERSITY"(CFU) project, a training-through-research cruise was held to the western part of the North Caspian Sea including the CFU experimental site in the area of the Maly Zhemchuzny island. Training young scientists from the Caspian countries - Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan - in new methods of hydrology and water chemistry analysis was executed by the expert from Laboratory of Marine Ecology (VNIRO, Moscow). The program of the expedition included ecosystem studies on the status of aquatic environment, abundance and distribution of hydrobionts (phyto- and zooplankton, benthos, bottom and pelagic fish species), underwater survey to assess bottom biocenoses, trawl and hydroacoustic survey with use of the new echosounder ASKOR-2 developed by the scientists from SevNIIRKh, Petrozavodsk. Special attention was paid to abundance and distribution of Mnemiopsis. In the area of the Maly Zhemchuzny island its abundance was estimated to be considerably high. We should mention here that the first official statement on occurrence of Mnemiopsis in the Caspian Sea had been produced in 1999 at the International Seminar opening Caspian Floating University. Financial support in organization of CFU International cruise was provided by Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology RF, UNDP CEP, IOC UNESCO, Russian Foundation for Basic Research, FSUI KaspNIRKh.

17-18 October 2001, in KaspNIRKh, Astrakhan, INTERNATIONAL MEETING "TRANSFORMATION OF THE CASPIAN ECOSYSTEM UNDER CONDITIONS OF ACTIVATED RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT" was held. Leading experts involved in the problems of the Caspian Sea, young scientists from the Caspian states as well as representatives of administrative, scientific, educational and public organizations took part in the work of the Meeting. The scope of presentations made at the sessions covered diverse aspects of recent research in the Caspian ecosystem: fluctuations of the sea level and hydrology, status of bioresources and commercial stocks assessment, biodiversity and feasible ways to control on Mnemiopsis, human impacts and management of ecosystem and bioresources. Upon the closing of the Meeting, within CEP PA/PP component a round-table for the scientists and media representatives was held. Urgent issues of the Caspian environment and importance of international scientific community in conservation of this unique ecosystem were discussed.

По данным Мангистауского областного управления Охраны Окружающей Среды Казахстана получена телефонограмма от начальника Грузового района Баутино о том, что 03.10.01г. около 23 часов 00 мин. в акватории Баутинской бухты затонуло судно "Тюлень-5", принадлежащее ОАО "Казахрыбхолодфлот", стоявшее в отстое у причала диспетчерской ОАО "Казахрыбхолодфлот". Визуально имеет место загрязнение акватории бухты нефтепродуктами. Масштабы, вид, плотность не известны.
Пресс-служба Министерства природных ресурсов и охраны окружающей среды Республики Казахстан

BP is to hold a workshop with Azeri environmental and social NGOs on October 26, 2001. The workshop is to listen and respond to comments and questions regarding the Early Civil Engineering Work Programme of the Phase-1 Full Field Development of the Azeri, Chirag and Deep Water Gunashli and Stage-1 Shah Deniz Upstream projects

Solid waste remains the number one problem on Iranian coast of Caspian. There are more than 6.5 million people residing in 3 coastal provinces and if 50 million annual visitors (90% in 3 summer months) be added to the native population, then the amount of solid waste generated by such crowd in such small area that is naturally bounded by the Alborz range and the sea can create a real headache.

Kilka industry is going down the drain. Everybody is blaming the drastic reduction if Kilka catch in Mnemiopsis Leidyi, an invader which has made its way to Caspian waters from Black Sea. Many fishing fleets have been anchored at the harbors for months now. The vessel owners claim that they even can not catch enough Kilka to pay for half of the daily wages of the crew. There are 700 men involved in Kilka catching operation in Mazandaran province, leaving the other 2 coastal provinces out. According to state fisheries of Gilan province (SHILAT), the total catch of Kilka, by 110 vessels, in the past 5 months, has been only 9730 tons. This figure shows a 50% reduction in catch, when compared to the same period, last year. The amount of Kilka caught in Mazandaran Province in the past 5 months did not exceed 4000 tons, that shows 53% reduction in comparison with the similar period in last year. The situation in Golestan Province does not seem to be any better than other two coastal provinces mentioned above.

The extremely endangered Siberian Cranes showed up in their wintering area on south-eastern coast of Caspian a week earlier this year. 3 Siberian Cranes were observed in Fereidoonkenar area in Mazandaran province of Iran on 12 October. Another pair also was reported from a nearby site, that could be a part of the trio, or the real number of the cranes could be 5. 7 Siberian Cranes left their wintering area at Fereidoonkenar for their breeding grounds east of Aral mountains last March.

Floods keep striking the southern coast of Caspian and take toll. Many other floods have caused extensive damages to the entire coastal area after the massive and destructive flood of mid August, which claimed more than 250 lives in coastal province of Golestan. Many specialists and some authorities blame the logging operations on steep slopes of the northern faces of the Alborz range, as the major cause of repeated floods. The area of the precious southern Caspian forest have been diminishing in the last decades, and lack of proper management has been thought to be the cause.

On Tuesday, 18th September 2001, AIOC plans to hold an open public meeting on the proposed drilling of the Early Template Well on the Azeri, Chirag and Deep Water Gunashli Full Field Development Phase-1 project and the associated Environmental Impact Assessment. The experts will make presentations, and questions and comments from the audience will be welcome. AIOC invites all interested parties and the public representatives to attend the meeting, which will take place in the Rashid Behbudov Theatre of Songs, from 10:00 to 14:00.

CASPIAN-WIDE EXPEDITION STARTS NEXT WEEK

The United Nations Development Programme in the Russian Federation is looking for Project Manager and Project Assistant for the UNDP/GEF Project "Integrated Conservation of Wetland Biodiversity in the Lower Volga

Повышение эффективности СМИ в осведомлении общественности по вопросам экологии Каспийского моря

Caviar-exporting states consider how to save Caspian Sea sturgeon

The President of Azerbaijan supports Regional Environmental Cooperation

Oil leak from Dagestan polluted Caspian Sea
ITAR-TASS reported about an oil flow to the Caspian Sea from Dagestan yesterday. Despite word from Makhachkala that the Caspian Sea was no longer threatened with oil leak pollution, oil has flown into the River Achesa and the Caspian Sea on August 29, 2001. Sources in the Emergencies Ministry of the Republic of Dagestan earlier told that no more than 20 cubic metres of oil had leaked out of the damaged pipeline and no more than one cubic metre got into the Caspian Sea. www.caspian.ru

By Presidential decrees of 23 May 2001
State Environment Committee, State Committee for Geology and Mineral Resources, State Committee for Hidrometeorology and AZERBMESHA Forestry Agency were abolished on the basis of which a Ministry of Environment and Natural resources was created. Former Minister of trade, Rector of the Western University Mr Hussein Bagirov was appointed the Minister of Environment and Natural Rsources.

UN secretary general delivers a message for the international day for biological diversity (22 may 2001) (English | Russian)

NGO-Training for Fundraising and On-Line Efficiency