A new project on the conservation of aquatic bioresources has been launched.

On May 7, at the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, the implementation of a new large-scale project aimed at the conservation and restoration of Azerbaijan's inland water bioresources has begun.

The “Rich Basins” project, to be jointly carried out by the IDEA Public Union and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, envisages measures to increase the natural populations of fish species in lakes and rivers across the country, including the release of hundreds of thousands of various fish fry raised in private and state fish hatcheries, as well as reducing pollution in inland water bodies and promoting legal and responsible fishing.

During the first event within the framework of the “Rich Basins” project, 10,000 trout fry weighing 50–70 grams were released into the Nohurqışlaq Lake in the Gabala district with the participation of representatives of the IDEA Public Union and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.

The next event within the framework of the project will involve a clean-up campaign of the Kura River delta from prohibited fishing equipment, with the participation of local young volunteers. During the campaign, the Kura River and its shores will be cleaned of various household waste and synthetic fishing nets that lead to mass fish capture.

In recent decades, the natural populations of sturgeon, salmon, and other rare fish species have reached the verge of extinction due to the negative impact of human activities. In this regard, under Leyla Aliyeva’s leadership, a number of significant initiatives are being implemented for the protection and restoration of Azerbaijan’s and the Caucasus region’s aquatic fauna.

It should be noted that the launch of the “Rich Basins” project coincides with the recently announced four-month moratorium due to the fish spawning period. In this regard, the organizers of the project call on everyone involved in industrial fishing to refrain from fishing during this period and to abstain from any actions that hinder the growth of fish stocks.