Marine Conservation

In recent decades, wild populations of such unique fish species as Beluga sturgeon and Caspian salmon have come to the brink of extinction, largely due to effects of human activities, including pollution, poaching and overfishing. Over the past ten years, IDEA has continued its partnership with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and Blue

Marine Foundation (BLUE) on various projects to rehabilitate the populations of sturgeon and other valuable fish species in the Caspian Sea.

 

One of the measures supported by IDEA and its partners to address the problem at national level was the establishment of the Gizilagaj National Park in September 2018, comprising the Gizilaghaj State Reserve and the entire Gizilaghaj Bay. This is the first marine protected area (MPA) in the Caspian Sea and its designation will be crucial for the survival of some of the world’s most endangered fish species. Declared a wetland of international importance in 2001 for its significance for migratory birds, Gizilaghaj State Reserve lies by the mouth of Kura River, which provides spawning grounds for different anadromous fish species.

IDEA, BLUE and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources have studied the area to determine potential spawning locations and collaborated in an effort to sustainably breed sturgeon, which would subsequently be released in those locations. Millions of sturgeon fingerlings have been harvested and subsequently released by Khilli state fish-breeding farm in Neftchala since May 2018. IDEA is determined to further expand its efforts to increase the populations of wild fish in the Caspian Sea.

First Marine Hot Spot in the Caspian

On 8 November 2019, upon nomination by IDEA and BLUE, the newly established Gizilaghaj National Park was announced to be a Mission Blue Hope Spot. Hope Spots are ecologically unique marine areas designated for protection under a global conservation campaign overseen by a non-profit organization Mission Blue. They are special places that are critical to the health of the World Ocean. The launch of the first Hope Spot in the Caspian Sea has been followed by continuous global media coverage of the marine protected area (MPA) in Gizilaghaj, drawing attention to the importance of protecting the area.

Abundant Basins Project

On 7 May 2020, a major new project to protect and improve the internal water resources of Azerbaijan was launched

jointly by IDEA and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan. The project titled “Abundant Basins” oversees fish stocking events in the rivers and lakes to replenish the country’s fish populations with the help of public and private fish farms, cleanup activities to reduce the water pollution levels, as well as promotion of sustainable fishing through awareness activities.