OSCE promotes sustainable fisheries in Kazakhstan’s Aral Sea region

KYZYLORDA, Kazakhstan, 26 April 2016 – An OSCE-supported training seminar for some 30 farmers and representatives from the national and regional water authorities, the Aral-Syrdarya Water Basin Council, the civil society and academia on promoting sustainable fisheries in Kazakhstan’s part of the Aral Sea region began today in Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan.

The two-day event is organized by the OSCE Programme Office Astana in close partnership with the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) Executive Directorate in Kazakhstan, the local administration of the Kyzylorda region and the Aral-Syrdarya Water Basin Council. Participants will discuss the benefits of new fishery farms in the region with environmental and green economy considerations.

"Strengthening the capacity of local communities in the management of fisheries is one of the most important measures to prevent the serious environmental catastrophe facing the Aral Sea region," said Rati Japaridze, Economic and Environmental Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. "We are confident that the Aral Sea region can be an example of achievements in the field of commercial breeding of fish through the well-coordinated work of government officials, scientists, experts, investors and local businesses."

The event provided a valuable platform to examine and discuss domestic best practices and technologies on aquaculture production in Kazakhstan’s part of the Aral Sea.

"The sustainable development of fisheries is of great socio-economic and environmental importance for the Aral Sea region. Despite an increase in the volume of fish caught in recent years, the capacity of many water bodies are not used to their full capacity,” said Bauyrzhan Shamenov, Deputy Head of Natural Resources and Regulation of Wildlife Management of the Kyzylorda Region. “Therefore, we believe that today's seminar is very important for the fishers of the region, especially in the field of commercial fish farming.”

The second day of the training seminar will be complemented by a site visit to the Kyzylorda pond fishery farm. There, participants will have a chance to see the progress made and lessons learned following the launch of the pilot fishery farm a year ago.

The activity is part of the Memorandum of Understanding between Kazakhstan’s branch of the IFAS and the OSCE Programme Office to promote efficient water management systems and fragile ecosystems in the northern part of the Aral Sea. It follows earlier implemented projects in the domain of green growth and aquaculture promotion through the development of sustainable commercial fisheries in the Aral Sea region.