Caspian countries extend ban on sturgeon fishing in Caspian Sea until 2026The Caspian countries (Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan) have agreed to extend the ban on commercial sturgeon fishing in the Caspian Sea until 2026, the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries reported following the 9th session of Caspian Commission, which was held in Ashgabat."In the coming year, as before, the harvesting of sturgeon species will be carried out solely for research purposes and for artificial reproduction," the statement said. "Thanks to long-term efforts in artificial reproduction, the number of Russian sturgeon has stabilized, and the populations of beluga and stellate sturgeon are being maintained. Almost 90% of the juvenile sturgeon released in 2024 were raised at Russian fish breeding plants."The Caspian countries also plan to create uniform fishing rules for the common space of the Caspian Sea, which will ensure more rational exploitation of shared stocks of aquatic biological resources and increase the effectiveness of fish conservation measures.The Commission for the Conservation, Rational Use of Aquatic Biological Resources of the Caspian Sea and the Management of Their Shared Stocks (Caspian Commission) was established in accordance with an agreement signed in Astrakhan in September 2014 by representatives of all Caspian countries. In the spring of 2016, the document was ratified by all participating countries and entered into force. The first session of the commission was held in Baku in late November 2017.Russia banned the commercial fishing of beluga in the Volga-Caspian basin in 2000, and of sturgeon and stellate sturgeon in 2005. A general ban by all Caspian states has been in effect since 2013.The Caspian Sea is the world's richest body of water in terms of the number and species diversity of sturgeon.. A sharp decline in the sturgeon population began in 1991. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX