Among the participants was the Russian delegation, which included Sergey Shipulin— Deputy Head of the Volga‑Caspian branch of the SSC RF "All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography" (VNIRO).
The key event of the festival was the industry forum "Caspian Partnership: Sustainable Development of fisheries and Aquaculture". The participants were deeply immersed in topical issues: how to preserve the unique ecosystem of the Caspian Sea, effectively reproduce fish resources and develop the fishing industry without harming nature.
Sergey Shipulin noted the special interest of his colleagues in the achievements of Russia and its Caspian regions. They discussed advanced methods of fishing, the development of commercial aquaculture, artificial reproduction and large-scale scientific research of aquatic biological resources and their habitat. During the discussions, the alarming problem of the shallowing of the Caspian Sea was discussed in detail, as well as how this phenomenon affects the economies of the Caspian littoral countries and the lives of people living in the coastal territories.
A significant result of the dialogue was the agreement to extend the successful experience of joint scientific research between Russia and Kazakhstan, in particular, on the study of populations of the Caspian seal and sturgeon fish species, to the entire Caspian Sea area.
A rich program awaited the guests of the festival. They went on excursions to the sturgeon fish farm, the sturgeon factory and the fish processing plant, where they saw firsthand the successes of the fishing industry of Atyrau region.
A striking addition to the business part was the festive events: a fish products fair with the participation of leading enterprises in the region, a cooking competition where masters competed in the art of cooking fish dishes, and a tournament of amateur fishermen that brought together 14 teams. The program ended with an important environmental action: three thousand sturgeon fry were released into the Ural River — a small but significant contribution to the restoration of the region's natural resources.
VNIRO Press Service
