The accelerated decline in the Caspian Sea level that we are currently observing is having serious adverse effects on local ecosystems.
According to AZERTAC, this was stated by Elnur Safarov, Caspian Sea Research Expert at the IDEA Public Union, during his speech at the scientific and analytical discussion titled “The Caspian Sea at a Turning Point: Sea Level Decline and Regional Action”, organized on the occasion of World Environment Day.
“While working in the coastal areas of Neftchala, we witnessed a rapid retreat of the sea within just one year. As a result, fishing nets that had previously been fully submerged were left half in the water and half on dry land. Subsequently, many animals, birds, and snakes became entangled in these nets and died. Hundreds of thousands of juvenile fish released into the water by fish farms, including sturgeon species, also become trapped in these nets and perish.
This not only causes significant economic losses but also poses a threat to food security. In the future, we may face serious challenges in ensuring sufficient fish stocks to meet people’s nutritional needs.
On the other hand, the Gizilaghaj National Park serves as a kind of international airport for a large proportion of the birds living around the Caspian Sea. The decline in sea level is also dealing a severe blow to this ecosystem.
Yes, cooperation among countries is increasing, and bilateral meetings are being held between states. However, the process of sea level decline is outpacing our efforts. Therefore, we must accelerate our actions and work more closely with scientists, non-governmental organizations, and local communities.
We need to integrate data obtained from monitoring stations, reanalysis datasets, satellite observations, and citizen science initiatives into new models. This will improve the accuracy of the data. Greater accuracy, in turn, will enable us to make more reliable forecasts and gain a better understanding of how the Caspian Sea may change in the future under evolving climate conditions,” Elnur Safarov emphasized.
