Protection Of The Caspian Sea Is In The Focus Of Scientists' Attention
13 November 2023

Protection Of The Caspian Sea Is In The Focus Of Scientists' Attention

The ecological state of the Caspian Sea, its biological resources, prospects for the development of industrial development of hydrocarbon deposits, assessment of the impact on the ecosystem during the search, exploration and production of hydrocarbons, as well as problems of environmental improvement during subsurface use are the main topics of the IX scientific and practical conference with international participation "Problems of preserving the ecosystem of the Caspian Sea in the conditions of development of oil and gas fields", organized by the Volga-Caspian branch of the Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) and LUKOIL-Nizhnevolzhskneft.

The conference was attended by representatives of scientific institutions, oil companies and environmental organizations of the Caspian states. The participants were the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, Rosprirodnadzor, Rosselkhoznadzor, the Ministry of Industry and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fishing Industry of the Astrakhan Region, the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the P.P. Institute of Oceanology. Shirshova RAS, Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State Geological Exploration University, LUKOIL-Nizhnevolzhskneft LLC, Center for Biological Resources Research of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Institute of Zoology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Institute of the Caspian Sea of Turkmenistan, Atyrau branch of Scientific and Production Center of Fisheries LLP, Kazekoproekt LLP, International Ecological Fund "Clean Seas", Astrakhan State Technical University.

In total, 25 reports were heard on the ecological state of the Caspian Sea with the modern development of oil and gas production on the offshore shelf. It is noted that the coexistence of the fisheries and oil and gas industries in the Caspian Sea can be ensured only with careful and rational attitude to nature of all nature users. Special attention was drawn to the joint report of Vyacheslav Rozhnov, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Behavior and Behavioral Ecology of Mammals of the IPEE RAS, and Vyacheslav Bizikov, Deputy Director for Scientific Work of VNIRO, Director of the Department of Commercial Aquatic Organisms, "Air accounting of the number of Caspian seals in the Russian sector of the Northern Caspian in February - March 2023." In the report, the scientists shared the results of the air survey and provided information on the population size of this species.

There was also a presentation of the monograph of the publishing house of the All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography "Fish resources of the Caspian Sea" by the authors: Ivanov V.P., Fingers V.N., Shipulin S.V.

The book presents the geological past and current situation of the Caspian Sea, its ecological state, ways of formation of ichthyofauna, dynamics of fish resources and their use. International cooperation on the conservation and use of aquatic biological resources is reflected.

The current systematic position, descriptions and drawings, biology of more than 140 species of fish living in the sea and river deltas, as well as those cultivated at fish-breeding enterprises of the basin are given. The book is intended for ichthyologists, workers in the fishing industry, teachers and students of universities and other educational institutions, as well as anglers and nature lovers. It is recommended as a textbook on ichthyology.

Within the framework of the conference, the participants visited the scientific and experimental complex on aquaculture "BIOS" and the Corporate Training Center of public joint-stock company LUKOIL.

VNIRO Press Service