CASPIAN SEA

BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN

FINAL DRAFT

Prepared by Fauna and Flora International for the Caspian Environment Programme

July 2002

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

To be added

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To be added

It is reckless to suppose that biodiversity can be diminished indefinitely without threatening humanity itself (E.O. Wilson, 1992).

1. Introduction

The development of a Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for the Caspian Sea is part of the process to develop a Strategic Action Programme for the Caspian to address all of the regional issues affecting the Caspian.

The primary beneficiaries of this Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) will be the population of the 5 Caspian littoral states, in particular the populations that live in the coastal zone. The benefits that could be expected on successful implementation of the BSAP are more sustainable fisheries, the sustainable use of natural resources, stable populations of species and functioning ecosystems as well as improved water quality, improved coastal zone management and integrated development through the NCAPs. Successful implementation of the BSAP may also have indirect but important benefits in terms of improving public health, decreasing rural poverty levels and securing higher employment. A regional consensus emerging from the BSAP implementation will also play its part in resolving current regional security issues and in conflict resolution. In the shorter-term, governments and institutions will benefit from institutional strengthening as a result of networking, training programmes and the provision of key items of equipment.

This document draws upon a number of reports that have been produced in the Caspian region under the umbrella of the Caspian Environment Programme. These include the Caspian Regional Thematic Centre (CRTC) Regional Reports, the Caspian Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis, the National Caspian Action Plans (NCAPs) for the 5 littoral states and various other reports detailing aspects of the Caspian biological, economic and legal status. Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of this report include broad summaries of these previous documents and do not attempt to restate the detail other than to draw out the points relevant to development of a Caspian BSAP. Chapter 1 includes general information on the value of conserving biodiversity and places the work to develop a Caspian BSAP in the broader context of the international as well as the national obligations of the 5 littoral states. Chapter 3 outlines some of the main regional impacts on the biodiversity of the Caspian that have been identified through previous work and through the consultation process that was central to the development of this BSAP. Chapter 4 details the aims that were agreed for the BSAP and includes the action plan that has been developed with the regional stakeholders. Finally, Chapters 5 and 6 examine some of the options for implementation of the BSAP in the context of existing structures and mechanisms that have been proven to work elsewhere.

1.1 The importance of biodiversity

There are 3 kinds of biodiversity: ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity.

"Biological diversity" means the variability among living organisms from all sources ………and includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems (Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992).

Each species of plant and animal has a place on the earth and plays a vital role in the circle of life. Plant, animal, and insect species interact and depend upon one another for food, shelter, oxygen, and soil enrichment.

We have scarcely begun to explore the biodiversity on which our existence is ultimately dependent. Fewer than 2 million of the estimated 10 to 100 million species in the world have been documented yet at the same time as we're trying to expand our knowledge biodiversity is disappearing. One fifth of all the bird species in the world have gone extinct in the last 2,000 years, almost certainly all at the hands of man, and 11 percent of the remaining 9,040 known species of birds are endangered (Wilson, 1993).

There are numerous reasons why we should conserve biodiversity. We owe it to our children to pass on an environment at least as rich as the one we inherited; we know relatively little about the biodiversity of the planet yet we are losing species that have taken millions of years to evolve; evidence from the previous five great extinctions on earth shows that it will take millions of years to restore the losses; we depend on biodiversity to maintain variety in our crops and for many of our industries such as pharmaceuticals, construction and waste treatment.

The goal of biodiversity conservation is to address the full range of causes of its current loss and ensure that the protection and use of biological resources supports the general aim of sustainable use.

1.2 The Caspian Sea

For the purposes of this Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, the Caspian Sea is defined as encompassing the sea and the surrounding coastal zone.

1.2.1 Geographical location and borders

The Caspian Sea is the largest inland water body on Earth. It is situated on the boundary between Europe and Asia between the latitudes of 47.07^oN and 36.33^oN and 45.43^oE and 54.20^oE longitude. It is approximately 1,200 km long with a width ranging from 196 to 435 km, has a surface area of 386,400 km² and a coastline of about 7,000 km in length. The Caspian has no connection to the world’s oceans and its surface level is around 27 m below the level of the world’s oceans. The water of the Caspian is brackish and thus the ecosystem incorporates remnants of the fauna from the Pleistocene period when it became separated from the rest of the world’s oceans.

The sea is bounded by five states: Azerbaijan to the west, the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan to the north, Turkmenistan to the east and the Islamic Republic of Iran to the south.

1.2.2 Physical and chemical regime

The sea divides into 3 distinct basins:

• a shallow northern shelf with average depths of les than 5 m which comprises 27% of the sea area and 0.5% of its volume and which has a variable salinity due to the high river run off in the area;

• a central basin with depths of more than 500 m that comprises 38% of the sea area and 36% of its volume with a salinity of 11-12 ^o/_oo;

• a very deep basin (more than 1 km deep) that comprises 39% of the sea area and 63% of its volume and with a stable salinity of 12-13 ^o/_oo.

The shallow gulf of Kara-Bogaz-Gol is often considered to be a separate water body. It is separated from the rest of the Caspian by sand bars and its surface lies a few metres below the level of the Caspian. It is subject to significant evaporation that renders it hypersaline so that the fauna of this area differs significantly from that of the rest of the Caspian.

Approximately 130 large and small rivers flow into the Caspian but the main freshwater input is from the Volga River that drains an area of 1.4 million km² and runs into the northern part of the sea. Most of the river input is to the north and west coasts with flows from the east restricted due to the dry climate and from the south by mountains close to the coast. There are no river outflows from the Caspian and evaporation is the only mechanism by which water escapes from the sea.

1.2.3 Climate

The Caspian region lies in the centre of the Palaearctic zoogeographical region, which results in major climactic differences over the sea, and its catchment. The area is comprised of two major biomes of cold, continental deserts and semi-deserts in the north and east and, subtropical mixed mountain and highland systems in the southwest and south. There is also a small area around the Volga Delta in the west, where temperate grasslands can be found. The range of climatic conditions has led to a significant degree of biological diversity. This is further enhanced by the existence of extensive wetland systems such as the deltas of the Volga, the Ural and the Kura rivers and the hypersaline Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

1.2.4 Biodiversity

The Caspian has high levels of biological diversity as a result of its long period of isolation and because of the large variations in temperature and salinity throughout the sea. Both of these factors have enabled speciation to occur. In addition, the geography of the Caspian has resulted in a wide variety of habitats that support many rare fauna and flora. For example, the Sarykum barkhan is a unique refuge for flora, adapted to the loose sands of the ancient Central Asian Deserts. There are over 400 endemic species and 115 species of fish including 6 species of sturgeon (90% of the world population), which migrate from the Caspian up the rivers to spawn. The Caspian seal is one of only two freshwater seal species that occur worldwide.

There is a large variety of coastal wetland, including temporary and permanent shallow pools, many of which are saline. These wetlands are important wintering grounds and attract large birds populations particularly since the Caspian lies on the path of several major migration routes. The Caspian area also provides important resting, feeding and breeding grounds for species including grebes, cormorants, herons and ibises.

Large parts of the coastal zone are a haven for rare large mammals such as the saiga antelope and the goitered gazelle and to the north west, the zone between the sea and the desert areas is important for smaller mammals such as boar, muskrat, otter and rodents such as the red-tailed gerbil.

In common with other countries, the degradation and loss of biodiversity has become a critical issue for the Caspian states and thus the conservation of biodiversity has come to the fore in recent years. Increasing pressures from sea level fluctuations, inputs of pollutants, the effects of exploitative industries such as fishing and oil extraction and the introduction of invasive species have all combined to offer serious threats to the environment of the Caspian region and has resulted in an increasing loss of species (Table 1) and damage to habitats.

A full account of the biodiversity of the Caspian Sea can be found in Caspian Environment Programme (2001).

Table 1 The number of rare and vanishing species in the Caspian Sea and its coastal zones, as listed in national Red Books.

Note: The Table has been taken from the Caspian Environment Programme website and is based on the national reports on the state of biodiversity. Empty cells indicate no information available.

1.3 Introduction to the Regional Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and Institutional Arrangements

Regional approaches to biodiversity management have been used in a number of areas where important biodiversity areas are bounded by several countries.

1.3.1 The Mediterranean

The Mediterranean comprises one of the largest groups of islands in the world. The region is of high value to global biodiversity due to its wealth of species, relatively high rate of endemism and long history. However, it is also one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations, with some 200 million tourists each year. As a result it faces a number of challenges including dealing with the waste and litter produced by this number of visitors and the indigenous populations and high development pressure. To try and manage these impacts, the 21 Mediterranean countries have been working since 195 through a Mediterranean Action Plan, to protect the marine environment and to promote the sustainable development and integrated management of coastal areas.

1.3.2 The Black Sea

As with the Caspian, the Black Sea, suffers threats from pollutants, eutrophication, the introduction of exotic species and inadequate resource management etc., all of which pose a serious risk of losing valuable habitats, landscapes and ultimately, the biological diversity and productivity of the Black Sea ecosystem. Although action by individual states resulted in some improvements over the years, individual action was not fully addressing the problems. In 1996, the Black Sea States of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, the Russian Federation, Turkey, and Ukraine published the Strategic Action Plan for the Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea with the following aim:

• to enable the population of the Black Sea region to enjoy a healthy living environment in both urban and rural areas, and to attain a biologically diverse Black Sea ecosystem with viable natural populations of higher organisms, including marine mammals and sturgeons, and which will support livelihoods based on sustainable activities such as fishing, aquaculture and tourism in all Black Sea countries.

The Strategy provides the framework for international co-operation in the rehabilitation of the Black Sea.

1.3.2 The Caspian Environment Programme

The Caspian Environmental Program (CEP) is a regional programme that has been developed by and for the Governments of the five littoral Caspian states to solve common ecological problems and promote sustainable development. The Caspian Environment Programme is supported by a number of international organizations (GEF, UNDP, UNEP, World Bank and ТАСIS).

The purpose of CEP is to maintain sustainable development and ensure the rational management of the Caspian region environment by:

• ensuring that economic activity subscribes to the principles of sustainable development;

• promoting the improvement of environment quality and biodiversity conservation;

• improving and restoring Caspian sea ecosystems and biodiversity conservation;

Figure 1 Structure of the Caspian Environment Programme

One of the key areas of focus of CEP is to address transboundary biodiversity issues and to promote public awareness and involvement in its work. This includes the preparation of National Caspian Action Plans (NCAP) and a regional Strategic Action Plan (SAP), which will define the actions to be taken at a regional level to address the core transboundary issues over the next ten years. The regional Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) is one element of the Strategic Action Plan.

The regional BSAP is based upon the individual country BSAPs but seeks to address only those issues that have been identified as transboundary in nature. This regional BSAP will outline the principles and approaches for biodiversity conservation in the Caspian Sea and will develop these within the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity, but with reference to the national framework that will implement the plan. Links will be made to the existing structures listed in chapter 2 (PEBLDS, Ramsar & CITES).

1.4 National BSAPs

The Caspian States have responded to these international agreements and particularly the Convention on Biological Diversity by, as a first step, preparing national reports on the state of their biodiversity. All five states have produced, or are in the process of preparing, national Biodiversity Strategies and Action plans (BSAPs). These national BSAPs use existing information to carry out a stocktake of present conditions and trends and to provide an overview of the country’s biodiversity, the threats to that biodiversity, existing conservation effort, and conservation priorities. Each plan identifies the goals and objectives for biodiversity conservation in that state and identifies a strategy and action plan for achieving those goals and objectives.

However, the Caspian Sea is a complex ecosystem from which it is impossible to separate the physical and ecological interdependencies on an administrative basis. Responsibility for the biodiversity conservation of the Caspian Sea is shared between the 5 Caspian states and it has become apparent that a regional approach is required to tackle the transboundary issues.

1.5 Social and economic circumstances

International trade has always brought wealth to the Caspian region that has a long history as a trade route, lying on the old silk route between the east and the west. During later periods of its history the region has been subject to major influences from its position at the interface between the Russian and Turkish empires and from influences from the west.

Much of the social and economic development around the Caspian is related to the biodiversity resource:

• natural resources provide raw materials for industry;

• plants and their derivatives are used in pharmaceuticals and in natural remedies;

• biodiversity is essential to agriculture in providing food, fodder and grazing for livestock and genetic variation;

• forest resources are used in industry and for construction;

• enjoyment of landscapes provides the basis for tourism as does the ability to take part in recreational activities such as hunting and fishing.

• Social and political changes in the latter part of the 20^th Century have had a profound impact on the region.

Azerbaijan is the largest of the South Caucasian countries with a population of about 8 million, 30 per cent of whom live in the capital city of Baku. In Azerbaijan following independence, the conflict with Armenia as well as low oil prices, led to high inflation and a decline in output. The oil and gas sectors were particularly affected with production falling by a third from 1987 to 1994. Fighting in Chechnya, which led to the severing of transport links to Azerbaijan’s traditional markets, exacerbated these problems and the combination of these factors led to a decline in GDP during this period with almost all sectors of the economy hit hard. The output of agriculture fell by about 43 per cent and of industry by about 60 per cent. From 1995, with the gradual stabilization of the political situation and the cease-fire in the Armenian conflict, the government began implementing an economic programme supported by the IMF and the World Bank. This has had dramatic results, helped by high oil prices and renewed trade links with the Russian Federation.

Iran’s geostrategic position and possession of extensive hydrocarbon resources have made it a significant player on both the regional and international scene. Furthermore the availability of natural gas, mineral and human resources (68 million people) further enhance this position. However, the Islamic Revolution in 1979 profoundly changed Iran’s position internationally following the severance of diplomatic and economic relations by many countries, most notably the United States.

In the period immediately following the Islamic Revolution, many Iranians saw a drastic decline in their standard of living due to both the imposition of economic sanctions and eight-year war with Iraq (1980-8). However, following the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989 and election of Seyyid Mohammad Khatami in 1997 Iran has increasingly been able to return into the international arena.

Kazakhstan is the largest of the Central Asian republics, covering some 2.7 million square kilometres.  The population of Kazakhstan totals over 16.8 million people, more than half of whom are Kazakh, with a sizeable Russian community, and smaller concentrations of Ukrainians, Germans, Uzbeks and Tartars. The economy of Kazakhstan has suffered since independence due to the breakdown of relations with the former Soviet Union, which exacerbated a rapid decline in production and led to high inflation. Current issues include development of a cohesive national identity, development of the country's vast energy resources and their export to world markets and strengthening relations with neighbouring states and other foreign powers.

Russia covers an area of 17 million square kilometres and has a population of over 145 million. A decade after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia is still struggling to establish a modern market economy and achieve strong economic growth. The economy contracted during the first 5 years although it achieved some recovery by 1997. In 1998, the global financial crisis led to a depreciation of the rouble which led to a sharp deterioration in living standards for most of the population although the economy rebounded in 1999 and 2000 due primarily to high oil prices. Russia currently suffers from low birth rates and a deteriorating health situation leading to falling life expectancies both of which have resulted in a 2% drop in the population size since 1992.

Turkmenistan covers an area of 488,000 square kilometres and has a population of about 4.6 million people of which more than three-quarters are Turkmen nationality, with sizeable communities of Uzbeks, Russians and Kazakhs. Turkmenistan is largely covered by desert and intensive agriculture is concentrated around irrigated oases.  The oil and gas industry has insulated Turkmenistan from regional economic shocks experienced by neighbouring countries in the mid 1990s.

Exploitation of oil reserves in the Caspian has resulted in a number of political and diplomatic controversies. Disputes have raged over whether the Caspian is defined as a sea and therefore covered by the UN Law of the Sea Convention or as a border lake, which would determine how Caspian resources should be distributed between the littoral states. Unresolved issues of the legal status of the Caspian Sea, problems of transportation of oil and gas to world markets, as well as territorial and border problems between regional states are potential serious threats to both national and regional security in the Caspian Sea region.

The greatest threats to the biodiversity of the Caspian region come directly or indirectly from human activity which have resulted in the loss of species, declines in populations of plants and animals and damage to ecosystems. The threats include habitat loss and degradation, over-use of biological resources, pollution and the impact of non-native species.

2. Current situation in the Caspian

2.1 Status of international agreements

There are a number of international agreements to which the 5 Caspian States are party that need to be integrated into any approach to the maintenance of the biodiversity of the Caspian Sea.

2.1.1 Convention on Biological Diversity

Convention on Biological Diversity

The 3 main goals of the Convention are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.

The Convention on Biological Diversity was a key element of the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and is the global response to the need to conserve biological diversity. In ratifying the Convention, the Parties undertook to implement the Convention at a national level as a contribution to achieving its goals and objectives at a global level. To date the Convention has been ratified by 183 countries including the five Caspian states of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan.

Article 6 of the Convention requires the Contracting Parties to develop plans or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity or adapt for this purpose existing strategies, plans or programmes and to integrate, as far as possible the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity into relevant sectoral or cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies.

2.1.2 Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy

The 4 CIS states have endorsed the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy (PEBLDS).

Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy

Aims to the achieve conservation and sustainable use of biological and landscape diversity for the whole continent of Europe and all its regions within 20 years, by ensuring that:

• the threats to Europe's biological and landscape diversity are reduced substantially, or where possible removed;

• the resilience of European biological and landscape diversity is increased;

• the ecological coherence of Europe as a whole is strengthened;

• public involvement and awareness concerning biological and landscape diversity issues is increased considerably.

PEBLDS will be implemented through a series of 5-year action plans that should ensure that:

• full use is made of existing legal, administrative and socio-economic mechanisms at the international, national, regional and local level;

• action is taken at the appropriate level, whether Pan-European, regional, national or local;

• management practices enhance and strengthen the resilience of biological and landscape diversity;

• adequate scientific, technical and financial resources are made available;

• appropriate arrangements are made for monitoring the implementation of the Strategy;

• the emphasis is on measures and activities with broad applications or results.

2.1.3 Convention on Wetlands

Each of the five Caspian States is a Contracting Party to the Convention on Wetlands (the Ramsar Convention).

The Convention on Wetlands

The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

The Convention recognizes wetlands as important ecosystems for the conservation of biodiversity and covers all aspects of wetland conservation. Parties to the Convention have made four main commitments:

• to designate at least on site for inclusion in the list of Wetlands of International Importance and to promote its conservation. Between them, the 5 Caspian states have identified 61 sites for inclusion on the list covering an area of more than 12.5 million hectares;

• to promote the principle of wise use by including wetland considerations into their national land-use planning;

• to establish nature reserves on wetlands and promote training in the fields of wetland research and management;

• to consult other Contracting Parties to the Convention with respect to transfrontier wetlands, shared water systems and shared species.

2.1.4 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation are signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

CITES is an international agreement between governments that aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals does not threaten their survival.

Since trade in wild animals and plants crosses borders, international cooperation is required to safeguard certain species from over-exploitation. CITES confers 3 levels of protection to species according to the degree of protection they need:

• Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction;

• Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction but in which trade must be controlled to ensure their survival;

• Appendix III contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade.

2.1.5 Aarhus Convention

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are parties to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention).

Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters

The Aarhus convention sets out a series of rules to govern citizens’ involvement in environmental matters and the enforcement of environmental law. It has three main strands set out in Article 1 which requires that “in order to contribute to the protection of the right of every person of present and future generations to live in an environment adequate to his or her health and well-being, each Party shall guarantee the rights of access to information, public participation in decision-making, and access to justice in environmental matters in accordance with the provisions of this Convention.

The Aarhus Convention links environmental rights and human rights and acknowledges that stakeholder involvement is crucial to the achievement of sustainable development. It is being implemented through a number of task forces and working groups covering topics such as pollutant release and transfer registers, genetically modified organisms and through drafting a new protocol on strategic environmental assessment.

2.2 Institutional and administrative base

There are also a number of environmental management agreements between the Caspian states. The Caspian CIS countries inherited the environmental agreements between the Soviet Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The states have committed themselves to cooperation in the environmental management of the Caspian and declared the urgency to determine the Caspian’s legal status and to agree on the joint use of its bioresources.

2.2.1 Convention on Conservation and Utilisation of Bioresources of the Caspian Sea

The 5 Caspian States are party to the Convention on Conservation and Utilisation of Bioresources of the Caspian Sea. The Convention is intended to preserve the migratory fish species and Caspian seal resources of the Caspian. It establishes a Commission on Conservation and Utilisation for Caspian bioresources for the implementation of the Convention and establishes the freedom to fish in Caspian open waters within the limitations of a management agreement that includes national quotas and fisheries rules, including the national management of coastal fisheries.

2.2.2 Declaration on Environmental Cooperation in the Caspian Sea

In Almaty in 1994 the five Caspian states signed the Declaration on Environmental Cooperation in the Caspian Sea in which they recognised the unique and varied biological resources of the Caspian Sea that make it a global treasure, determined to take coordinated actions to prevent the degradation of this unique water body and acknowledged the severity of environmental problems caused by a number of factors. The states agreed to cooperate fully in the preparation and implementation of programs of joint activities on protection of the environment that should establish the basis for rational utilisation of natural resources and identify priority activities.

2.2.3 Protocol on programs for the Protection of the Environment in the Caspian Sea Region

The Caspian States have also signed the Protocol on programs for the Protection of the Environment in the Caspian Sea Region in which they:

• note the need for international cooperation in research, management, economic incentives and legislation in order to conserve the biological diversity of the Caspian Sea and its coastal zone;

• agree on the need to take joint measures to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity;

• express a common interest in implementing a project for protecting the biodiversity of the Caspian and its coastal zone;

• express a willingness to cooperate in environmental protection of the sea and sustainable management of its resources.

In addition to the agreements or statements of intent to cooperate in environmental management, there have been several bilateral agreements on exploitation of the Caspian’s natural resources, including:

• between Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation on the use of the sea bed in the northern part of the sea;

• between Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation on the use of the sea bed on their mutual border;

• between Azerbaijan and Russia on oil transit;

• between Azerbaijan and Russian oil companies on prospecting activities;

• between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan on transit of gas by pipeline.

2.3 Stakeholder Analysis

The management of biodiversity is about more than dealing with the habitats and species that provide the wildlife interest. Landscapes and their wildlife are shaped by the people who live in them and who depend on them for their livelihoods. Any proposal to alter the way an area is managed must involve the people who will be affected, as it is these people who will be asked to make changes to the way they carry out their activities. Apart from any impact on individuals, those who live in and manage local environments are well placed to contribute to the identification of problems and ways to solve them. Finally, implementation of a Biodiversity Strategy is not entirely within the control of regulatory authorities as many changes involve a change in the perception of individuals of the importance of conserving biodiversity and changes in the way they carry out their day-to-day activities. Therefore no plan of this type would be complete without involving a wide range of key stakeholders.

Stakeholders are those individuals or organisations that are directly involved in the development and implementation of the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, those who will be affected by the implementation of the BSAP, those who are interested in the BSAP and those who can assist in its successful implementation. In reality, it is never practicable to consult whole populations during the development of a BSAP and the involvement of the full range of stakeholders has to take place in a phased way. This means that some involvement will not occur until after production of the BSAP and will be carried out through public awareness exercises and information provision to key groups or individuals and through participation in implementation projects that will provide real benefits to local populations. Therefore, the stakeholders involved in the development of this BSAP are a subset of the total stakeholders in the process.

Three categories of stakeholders were identified to be involved in the preparation of the Caspian BSAP:

• Primary stakeholders - those whose permission, approval or (financial) support is essential, whose cooperation is essential and who are directly affected;

• Secondary stakeholders - those who will be indirectly affected;

• Tertiary stakeholders - who will not be directly affected but who can influence others to ensure implementation of the BSAP.

Identification of these stakeholders led to the following categories of organisation being consulted during preparation of the BSAP;

• Ministries of Environment, Nature and Biodiversity Management, Industry, Fishing, Transport, Water Management

• Regional authorities

• Oil industry

• Other major industries along the Caspian coastline

• Potential funders (for biodiversity and for industry)

• NGOs (including international)

The consultation process is detailed in Chapter 4 and a list of the organisations and individuals consulted during the production of this document is included at Appendix 1.

2.4 Legislative Base

Prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a number of international agreements relating to the Caspian Sea were concluded. These agreements include:

• the Treaty of Friendship between the Soviet Union and Iran of February 1921, which accorded both states freedom of navigation;

• the agreement between Persia and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of 1 October 1927 relating to the exploitation of fisheries on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea;

• the Exchange of Notes between Persia and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of 1 October 1927 prohibits fishing by chemical means, explosives and similar means. The exchange of notes also sets some limitations as to the fishing seasons;

• the Convention between Iran and the Soviet Union on Establishment, Commerce and Navigation of October 1931 which reserves the parties an exclusive fishing right in coastal waters up to 10 nautical miles;

• the treaty between Iran and the Soviet Union on Establishment, Commerce and Navigation of August 1935. This Treaty confirms the above provisions of the 1931 Treaty;

• the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation signed by Iran and the Soviet Union at Teheran in March 1940 that also, confirms the above provisions of the 1931 Treaty;

• the agreement between Iran and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics concerning the Settlement of Frontier and Financial Questions, signed in December 1954 and which provides for the demarcation of the frontier between Iran and the Soviet Union, and establishes a demarcation commission;

• the treaty between the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Imperial Government of Iran Concerning the Regime of the Soviet-Iranian Frontier and the Procedure for the Settlement of Frontier Disputes and Incidents, signed in May 1957. This Treaty accords to the residents of the contracting States the right to fish in frontier waters up to the frontier line;

• the agreement between Iran and the Soviet Union for the Joint Utilization of the Frontier Parts of the Rivers Aras and Atrak for Irrigation and Power Generation, signed in August 1957;

• the agreement between Iran and the Soviet Union, on Economic and Technical Cooperation, 1963 under which the Parties undertake to cooperate in the rearing of sturgeon.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, in December 1991, the heads of state of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Russian Federation and Turkmenistan signed a joint Declaration in Almaty guaranteeing that the new states would continue to fulfil the international obligations of the previous Soviet regime. By this Declaration, the CIS countries confirmed that they would continue to uphold previous agreements between the USSR and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and that future agreements on the Caspian and use of its resources would be made between the 5 littoral states.

There are also a number of environmental management agreements between the Caspian states. The Caspian NIS countries inherited the environmental agreements between the Soviet Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The states have committed themselves to cooperation in the environmental management of the Caspian and declared the urgency to determine the Caspian’s legal status and to agree on the joint use of its bioresources. In Almaty in 1994 the countries:

• agreed on the need to jointly implement the Convention on Biological Diversity;

• expressed a common interest in implementing a project for protecting the biodiversity of the Caspian and its coastal zone in relation to mineral resource exploitation;

• expressed a willingness to cooperate in environmental protection of the sea and sustainable management of its resources;

• called on the international community to support the countries in implementation of an environmental programme.

In 1992, the Russian Federation proposed a plan to preserve the bioresources of the Caspian, giving priority to all sturgeon species and for the conclusion of the necessary international agreements. The proposal included the freedom to fish in Caspian open waters within the limitations of a management agreement that included national quotas and fisheries rules, including the national management of coastal fisheries.

In addition to the agreements or statements of intent to cooperate in environmental management, there have been several bilateral agreements on exploitation of the Caspian’s natural resources, including:

• between Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation on the use of the sea bed in the northern part of the sea;

• between Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation on the use of the sea bed on their mutual border;

• between Azerbaijan and Russia on oil transit;

• between Azerbaijan and Russian oil companies on prospecting activities;

• between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan on transit of gas by pipeline.

2.5 Business Environment

Historically there have been many types of commerce practiced throughout the region, such as heavy industry, fishing, agriculture and the trading route network. At present, these are primarily limited to oil and gas exploration and production, commercial fishing and agriculture.

Oil and gas exploration and production have taken place in the Caspian Sea for over 150yrs and today the oil and gas industry is the largest sector in the Caspian region in terms of economic importance, with all five countries having operations of one form or another within their national boundaries although production rates have fluctuated over this time.

Commercial fisheries are important in the Caspian region with bioresources, primarily fisheries, estimated to be worth up to US $5-6 billion a year. Ninety percent of world sturgeon populations are found in the Caspian region although sturgeon catches have fallen from a high of 29,000 tonnes in 1977 to 1,700 tonnes in 2000. These figures do not include poaching which is a considerable industry in the region because of the high market value of caviar.

In Azerbaijan, whilst the oil and gas sector forms the foundation of the economy, 35 percent of the work force is employed in agriculture, which contributes around 28 percent to GDP. Sea transportation is important to Azerbaijan with the port of Baku soon able to handle up to 30 million tonnes of freight a year.

Iran is OPEC's second largest oil producer and holds 9% of the world's oil reserves and 15% of its natural gas reserves. Oil revenues contribute about 80% of total export earnings and around 14 percent of GDP and the economy suffered badly due to the plunge in world oil prices during 1998 and early 1999 although it has recovered since with GDP growing by around 4.3 percent in 2001. Other contributors to GDP are services (35%), agriculture (21%), manufacturing and mining (19%).

Kazakhstan is the second largest oil producer after Russia among the CIS countries, with an annual oil production of over 35 million tonnes in 2000, and is set to become one of the top five oil-producing countries within 30 years if the latest oil finds in the Caspian Sea prove to be as substantial as indicated. Agricultural production accounted for 20 percent of GDP in 1999 although this has declined from more than a third of GDP since the early 1990s when 18 percent of the work force were employed in the agriculture sector. Kazakhstan has a strong manufacturing base centred on petrochemicals, agricultural processing and ore refining with important contributions from other branches of industry such as heavy engineering, wood processing and light manufacturing such as textiles, footwear, and paper.

Russia is the world's largest exporter of natural gas, one of the largest oil exporters, and the third largest consumer of energy. The country’s economy is in the best shape now since the break-up of the Soviet Union with food products, light industry, metallurgy, machine building, metal processing, the chemical and petrochemical industries all showing growth. However, the country’s industrial base needs to be modernized if Russia is to achieve sustainable economic growth.

The Turkmen economy relies largely on oil and gas, and agriculture. Turkmenistan has proven natural gas reserves of three trillion cubic metres, making it the fourth largest producer in the world. It has access to substantial oil and gas reserves in the Caspian Sea, but needs to develop pipeline routes to export this to external markets. Turkmenistan is the world’s tenth largest cotton producer and the government is developing a domestic textiles industry that will offer opportunities for foreign investment.

2.6 Information provision and awareness

Under the institutional arrangements for the operation of the Caspian Environment Programme, it has been recognized that the basis for rational decision and multi-sectoral participation requires full access to be made available to high quality, up-to-date data. CEP has undertaken to manage information and maintain a comprehensive database of interpreted data and much of this data is available over the Internet. Most of the raw data will remain with individual scientists, institutes or the Caspian Regional Thematic Centres.

The data and information component of CEP aims to:

• develop a strong regional mechanism for data and information sharing;

• develop a comprehensive information system describing institutional capacities and human resources in the Caspian region;

• help the CRTCs to develop a standard database approach in their area of competency;

• develop the Caspian Data Base Management System to hold data and information provided by the CRTCs;

• develop a Caspian Geographic Information System using historical and current data and information gathered by the CRTCs during the implementation of CEP.

3. Problem analysis

3.1 Introduction

The wealth of biological resources in the Caspian region has offered the peoples of the area a rich reservoir from which to source their food, shelter, clothes and land space. As will be developed further in this chapter anthropogenic impact, through use of these resources, has played a crucial role in the decline of biodiversity. In addition, natural impacts have caused an immense change in how both social and biological populations have been able to live and utilise the region.

Concern over loss of biodiversity in the Caspian Sea (at species, genetic and habitat levels) is widespread and a source of serious concern within the region and internationally. Biodiversity of the Caspian is low compared to other more open seas, across nearly all phyla. With clear threats to some of the economically important fish species (including sturgeon), concern over loss of biodiversity in general is enhanced. A high rate of endemism of organisms in the Caspian Sea suggests that loss of biodiversity may be of concern in light of industrial, fisheries and other activities in the region.

A full stakeholder consultation programme has been undertaken to understand peoples concerns over the issues affecting biodiversity in the region. This dialogue has provided important insight into both perceptions and scientific fact, and their thoughts have fed into the development of the BSAP.

Through assessment of regional and national issues, it is apparent that certain region-wide priorities require immediate action within the Caspian area. Many of these problems will only be sustainably solved if they are addressed at a regional level with the co-operation of the various nation states surrounding the Sea.

The process of identifying the key pressures affecting both biodiversity and the implementation of biodiversity conservation programmes will provide a valuable context. Within this context we can more easily prioritise and assess potential actions that should be taken to improve the current situation for biodiversity.

3.2 Key pressures on the environment

A scientific analysis of main pressures on the environment needs to take account of biological, oceanographic, physical, industrial and social perspectives to properly identify the main impacts. Perhaps just as important is to understand the perceptions of stakeholders to identify their main concerns regarding primary impacts and consequences.

Historically, lower human population densities have to some extent protected the balance of ecosystems in the region.

Country	Estimated population 1999 (millions)	Population density (people/km2)	Population growth rate	Estimated population 2015 (millions)
Russia	146.2	8.7	- 0.4%	133.3
Iran	69.2	38.8	+ 1.7%	87.1
Kazakhstan	16.3	5.6	- 1.0%	16.0
Azerbaijan	8	92.2	+ 0.9%	8.7
Turkmenistan	4.6	10.2	+ 1.3%	6.1

(TDA, 2001)

A rising and geographically shifting population has now changed the balance of demography and ecosystems are suffering as a consequence. This information implies that within the next 15-20 yrs the centre of gravity of the regional population will move towards the south and east Caspian. Thus the north faces a population decline whilst the south will experience an increased population.

Prevalent in the area is a legacy of environmental pollution from past industrial practices. Since the break-up of the Soviet Union, adverse economic conditions have occurred in the former Soviet States and routine monitoring has been sparse during this period. This large data gap came at a time when industrial use has declined rapidly as market forces have been introduced into the economies of the Caspian States.

Through an analysis of scientific facts and stakeholder views the following problems and issues have been identified as important for the Caspian region.

(TDA, 2001)

These problems and issues can be found in many of the nation states surrounding the Caspian Sea and national Governments are planning and implementing actions to address these. It is apparent that all of these pressures are of critical importance for the region as a whole, and can really only be sustainably solved by targeting action at that regional level.

3.3 Factors affecting biodiversity

3.3.1 Threats, constraints and consequences

The table below summarises some of the threats to biodiversity and constraints to the effective management of biodiversity. Also listed are some of the consequences that occur as a result.

Threats		Constraints		Consequences
Pollution		Lack of knowledge and awareness		Decline in commercial fish stocks
Over harvesting		Lack of regulation		Decline in environmental quality
Illegal fishing/poaching		Lack of enforcement of regulation		Species loss
Species introduction		Sparse coordinated surveying and monitoring		Ecosystem imbalance
Inappropriate use of resources		Lack of centralised data/ information store		Degradation of coastal landscapes
Industrial development		Lack of coordination and regional agreements		Damage to coastal habitats
Rising and shifting population		Indecision on legal status of the Caspian Sea		Low standards of living
Contamination from offshore oil/gas industry		Lack of institutional development
		Lack of environmental impact assessments
		Lack of NGO involvement
		Lack of Govt funding

Some of these issues that directly impact biodiversity in the Caspian Region are presented in discussed further below:

3.3.2 Decline in commercial fish stocks, including sturgeon

The biological resources of the Caspian, principally the fish resources, are worth an estimated $US 5-6 billion a year. Fish catches have been falling, from 283,000 tonnes in 1951-55 to 81,000 tonnes in 1990-95. However, this has been mainly a result of economic recession in the fishing industry. Most commercially important species are not threatened, but some have been extirpated and sturgeons are currently threatened by illegal fishing.

The Caspian Sea is of global importance for sturgeons. At present, poaching is a serious threat to these fishes. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, fishing regulations have not been implemented and the current authorities are not equipped to control poaching. Poaching is particularly severe along the Azerbaijan, Dagestan and Kalmykiya coasts. International collaboration is needed to control this problem.

Over-fishing has affected other species such as trout, bream and zander in the Iranian area of the Caspian and zander in the Azeri and Turkmen areas.

3.3.3 Degradation of coastal landscapes and damage to coastal habitats

Natural events, such as climate and river discharges, can result in changes in the level of the Caspian. In the northern Caspian, changes in level can reach 0.5 m and surges can cause an increase in level of 1.5 to 2.0 m resulting in coastal inundations. In the 20^th Century up to 1970, the level of the Caspian has fallen by almost 3 m. This has led to the reduction of river deltas and the drying up of shallow bays such as Kaidak and Mertviy Kultuk. Areas that were formally islands have become part of the mainland.

The fall in sea level has caused problems for ships navigating the Sea and rivers. As a consequence destructive dredging has been undertaken, though sometimes the results have been the creation of islands that have become important for waterfowl. It is often not the changes in sea levels themselves that cause a major problem, but rather the responses of humans to these changes.

Between 1978 and 1996, the level of the Caspian has risen by about 2.5 m. This has damaged facilities located along the coast of the Sea and pollutants have been released into the water causing localised problems. The most seriously affected areas were on the west coast of the North Caspian. In the Atirau area of Kazakhstan, the coastline moved 70 km inland flooding about 1 million ha of land. Oil and gas fields have been affected resulting in pollution that has affected fish spawning grounds, nesting areas for birds and seal rookeries. Increasing sea levels have also affected plant communities in the deltas of Caspian rivers.

Rising sea levels do also have positive impacts such as the increased areas of spawning grounds and increased productivity in the North Caspian.

3.3.4 Overall decline in environmental quality

Pollution is a major threat. The chief sources of pollution are from industrial and agricultural activities, accidental discharges and sewage. Most of the pollution is from the Volga. In Turkmenistan, the main pollution is from the Turkmenbashi oil refinery. There is no significant pollution from Kazakhstan. Oil pollution is the most serious problem. The sources of oil pollution are primarily offshore wells. Oil can have a negative impact on marine life at relatively low concentrations, affecting feeding, reproduction and other activities. Heavy metals such as cadmium, zinc and copper may also accumulate in the tissues of fishes depressing the immune systems of the animals.

The Volga is described as “medium-polluted” and is principally affected by pollution from human activities. The water of the Middle and South Caspian is “medium-polluted” or “polluted”. In Baku Bay, the seabed is covered with pollutants and no benthic fauna is present. The waters of the Azerbaijan sector are identified as polluted or heavily polluted. In the Turkmenistan sector, the most polluted waters are the Krasnovodsky Bay and Cheleken peninsula.

Pollution in the Caspian has primarily impacted sturgeon causing a disease not previously seen. Seals have also suffered through the effects of pollution.

3.3.5 Introduced species

In the 20^th Century humans introduced species from the Black and Mediterranean Seas into the Caspian. These included algae, bivalves, crabs and fishes. Some species have been introduced into the Caspian via the ballast water of ships or on the bottom of vessels. Species from the Atlantic have reached the Caspian via the Volga-Don channel. Of particular concern has been the introduction of a Ctenophore species that feeds on zooplankton causing problems for plankton-feeding fish. This in turn may impact seal populations. It is necessary to develop a set of measures to protect the Caspian from the recently introduced Ctenophore species. It is necessary to have continuous monitoring of the species’ distribution and to have strict controls on ballast water to prevent further accidental introductions.

3.3.6 Contamination from offshore oil and gas activities

The oil and gas industry is of major economic importance within the Caspian Sea region. Concerns have been expressed over potential damage or contamination from the activities of this industry both on land and out at sea. It is imperative that the industry is involved in the formulation of systems that tackle the issues of pollution and other environmental damage.

3.3.7 Survey and monitoring

There is an absence of integrated systems for surveying and monitoring of the health of ecosystems and the population status of species. While some national systems may exist there is no one system whose methodology can be used in every country in the region. There is also no single resource centre that can act as a repository for biodiversity information and a point of contact for outside individuals and organisations. Therefore it is very difficult to assess the status of cross-boundary species.

3.4 Key sectors affecting biodiversity

The Caspian Sea and its surrounding areas are internationally renowned for their wealth of natural resources. This has meant that certain areas within the region have attracted the attention of sectors of society wishing to maximise the use of these resources. There are several sectors whose impacts have contributed to the decline of biodiversity

3.4.1 Fisheries

Catches of various fishes have declined in recent years, for a variety of reasons. Included in this decline have been sturgeon, Caspian roach, herring, salmon, mullet, and others. Official sturgeon catch, for instance, has dropped to 1.8 thousand tons from 11 thousand tons in the period from 1910-1930 to 1996-1998 (excluding Iran). Fish catch decline information has been sourced directly from catch data (not quantitative assessment of fish stock. The majority of fish are caught by the fleets of the Russian Federation and I.R. Iran.

The ecological effects from fishing include:

• a possible imbalance in the shallow deltaic and benthic ecosystems of the rivers and North Caspian Sea, and the pelagic ecosystems of the Middle and South Caspian Seas;

• possibly a decline in the seal population i.e. if their staple diet of kilka were overfished.

The socio-economic effects from declining fisheries include:

• local fishermen are being adversely affected as CITIES closures and scarcity of resources affect the availability of fish;

• coastal zone residents are affected by increased poverty;

• fishing vessel construction and repair industries are affected by lack of fishing activity;

• artificial pricing of certain products e.g. caviar, can create conditions where fishermen may turn to illegal poaching activities.

3.4.2 Industrial / urban construction and development

Degradation of the coastal areas has been due to a variety of natural and man-made factors. These include natural factors such as water level fluctuations and climate change. Man-made factors include poor coastal zone planning and management, poor use of water resources, poor agricultural practices, urbanisation, industrial activities, land pollution to name a few

The ecological effects of degradation along the coastal zones include:

• Impact on the coastal ecosystems through desertification and damage to habitats, affecting both land- and water-based organisms;

• Vegetation systems are destroyed, or replaced by low-value vegetation. This can then impact migratory species that would rely on those habitats e.g. migratory birds lose valuable habitat and are forced to find alternative areas.

The socio-economic effects of coastal degradation include:

• Forced migration of communities due to loss of key lands e.g. approx. 10 million people in the Caspian have been forced to move from desert lands as a result of desertification. Land is lost to industrial and productive development;

• Increasing wind blown soil and salts leads to declining health;

• Salinisation of groundwater increases human health risk due to lack of alternative drinking water sources.

3.4.3 Oil and Gas

Oil and gas exploration and production has taken place in the Caspian Sea for over 150yrs. Production rates have fluctuated over this time, but there is still large economic drivers for those countries with resources to continue operations for the foreseeable future.

As the Caspian Sea is a closed basin, with no direct connections to other world oceans, only limited natural oil degradation processes can occur. Historically extraction, refining, transportation and other activities have been characterised by environmentally unsound practices and procedures – therefore high levels of pollution have occurred. International recognition of pollution levels have highlighted where best practice should be utilised within the Caspian, and more responsible activity is now becoming the norm.

The ecological effects of oil and gas activity are broad in geographic and biological scope, but include:

• The chance of introduction of non-native species through ballast water exchange;

• Far-reaching impacts from even a localised pollution incident due to the large-scale current characteristics;

• Large-scale mortalities of seals, fish and birds, including many commercially important species, may result from a single large spill;

• Habitats may be damaged by exploration, construction and extractive processes;

• The increased shipping traffic associated with oil and gas activities may disrupt migration routes of birds, fish or seals;

• Reduced air quality may possibly affect ecosystem health.

The social effects are also far-reaching:

• New jobs can arise from further oil and gas investment, or conversely, an influx of foreign labour could mean the economic benefit stays outside of the local community;

• The need for further infrastructure may forcibly displace communities, and thus traditional cultural uses of land and resources;

• Increased, or redirected, investment could assist communities through health, ecological protection and/or educational programmes.

3.4.4 Agriculture/General Industry

Information on the impacts of the agriculture and industrial sector is scarce due to the nature of historical record collection and dissemination. Much industrial pollution has been left as a legacy from previously higher rates of production and output, many production facilities having since declined and maybe stopped completely. Recent assessment of sediment and water data in general has shown there to be relatively high quality levels with regard to heavy metal, petroleum hydrocarbons and chemical pollutants, although localised hot spot problems do still exist.

Various organisms (including seals, bony fish, sturgeon, etc) show high levels of some contaminants. In particular, both sediment and ecotoxicological samples show high levels of organochlorines in the region, in particular (but not exclusively) DDT and its breakdown products. Very little data exists on air quality in the region, other than that provided in the EIAs for recent developments such as oil and gas activities. Data on radionuclides in the Caspian are also sparse, although some sections of society have deep concerns regarding these contaminants. Proximity of nuclear generating stations of an older design along the Caspian or its rivers increases this concern. Radioactivity is contained in scale pigged from oil and gas pipelines, in wastes from the iodine and related salts from the Kara Bogaz Gol, from the radium mines near Aktau, KZ, and possibly from underground nuclear explosions in the north Caspian region.

The ecological effects of the industrial and agricultural sectors are very varied, but include:

• Threat to biodiversity: fish, seals and other organisms that may have high levels of some contaminants (particularly organochlorines). Rare and endangered species may be adversely affected;

• Habitat changes due to both small- and large-scale pollution incidents;

• Ecosystem imbalance may result from contamination, allowing new ecosystems to develop at the expense of existing ones.

Social effects from these sectors include:

• Human health may be adversely affected by industrial pollution or agricultural runoff, both through direct contact with water or eating/drinking e.g. microbiological contamination in swimming/bathing/fishing waters;

• Reductions in air quality can also affect human health.

3.5 Underlying causes of biodiversity loss

Identification of regional proximate issues is important - but many of them are due to much more wide-ranging underlying causes. These underlying causes are common to many countries in the area and impact more aspects than just biodiversity. Identification of root causes if important, because these tend to be more systemic and fundamental contributors to environmental degradation. They contribute to the pressures already weighing on biodiversity, whilst also reducing the ability to effectively react to biodiversity loss.

Because the linkages between root causes and solutions are often unclear, interventions are commonly addressed at the proximate causes. By targeting actions at the correct level of intervention will ensure that limited time and resources are focussed on building more successful solutions

Some of the key underlying causes of biodiversity loss in the Caspian Region include:

• Industrial development and priority of some industries over others;

• Poor economic conditions and low standards of living;

• Population changes and density;

• Conflicting demands on natural resources and lands;

• Climate change.

3.6 Opportunities for biodiversity conservation

A key opportunity for Caspian biodiversity is the realisation that only a regional approach will work to solve the regions problems. Added to this is the willingness and enthusiasm for countries in the Caspian area to work together to create regional solutions.

A distinctly positive feature is the fact that funding opportunities have already been identified through the support of the Global Environment Fund (GEF) of the Strategic Action Plan.

3.7 Conclusion

Therefore, it is clear that there are many issues affecting the biodiversity of the Caspian Region. Many of these problems and issues are due to a smaller set of underlying causes. By targeting action at the relevant level of intervention will ensure that limited time and resources are best spent solving the problem sustainably.

Many of the sectors currently utilising the Caspian Sea and surrounding area are having a direct impact on the health of ecosystems and their ability to survive without conservation intervention. There are many specific threats to biodiversity and constraints acting against the effective management of biodiversity. These can only be tackled by finding trans-boundary solutions, and by acting on those priorities issues in a timely fashion. If left unchecked, these issues will further undermine current conservation measures and threaten biodiversity to an even greater extent.

4. Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

The Caspian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) provide a framework for addressing the key issues affecting the biodiversity of the marine and coastal habitats and species of the Caspian. Key stakeholders from the Caspian region have agreed the aims of the BSAP and the document is the result of an inclusive process that has included reviews of existing information as well as the identification and analysis of the main issues surrounding the management of Caspian biodiversity at a regional scale. A shared understanding of the underlying causes of the problems at the regional level has allowed the development of a series of targets and the accompanying interventions required to realise these targets. The interventions have been prioritised into an action plan and a protocol for monitoring and evaluation of the action plan is proposed.

The Caspian BSAP contains the aims, targets and an action plan with suggestions for its implementation and on going monitoring, evaluation and reporting. The document provides an integrated framework for the regional approach to the conservation of the biodiversity of the Caspian.

The Caspian BSAP comprises three key sections:

• the aim which is the overall aspiration of the strategy;

• the targets that identify specific aspects of change needed to achieve the aim.

• the action plan that identifies the specific interventions and activities that have to happen in order for the changes to take place.

The Strategy is supported by a series of recommendations on managing and administering the implementation of the action plan, identifies those responsible for implementing each element of the action plan and then sets out a series of guidelines for monitoring to evaluate whether the desired changes are taking place. Supporting mechanisms are also identified that might be required such as new funding mechanisms, improved co-ordination and legislative changes.

4.1 Strategic Approach

The approach used to develop the BSAP started with the regional-level issues identified in the national reports and in the Caspian Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis as the entry point for participatory workshops that allowed stakeholders to identify and agree key issues. These Technical Issues Groups (TIGs), with representatives from all five littoral states, identified the biodiversity issues that they considered most important within the Caspian region. The TIGs then carried out a problem analysis by examining each of the key issues and identifying the underlying causes to be addressed. This problem analysis also allowed the prioritisation of the issues and the identification of those that were felt to be realistically amenable to change. For each of the key issues, the TIGs defined a series of targets and the interventions required to meet those targets.

The process used to develop the BSAP is detailed below

4.2 Aim

The overall aim of the Caspian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is:

Involving all stakeholders, the Caspian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan aims to protect and restore biodiversity in the Caspian Sea, to introduce sustainable management and use of natural resources and contribute to the sustainable and economic development of the five Caspian Sea littoral countries.

4.3 Action Plan

.