Sturgeon fishing banned in Caspian Sea for 5-10 years

Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Iran and Russia held a joint meeting on banning fishing of sturgeon in the Caspian Sea in Baku in late November, Tariel Mamdeli, chief consultant of the department for protection of bioresources of the Ecology Ministry, said, Trend reports.

The ban will stay in force for 5-10 years.

The official said that Azerbaijan only fished sturgeon in 2010 for science purposes and breeding.

Iran will pass chairmanship in the Commission for Water Bioresources to Azerbaijan at a meeting in November. It has chaired the organization for 2 years.

The commission determines fishing quotas once a year. It also determines quotas for export of meat and caviar. The quotas are approved by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Russia chaired the organization in 2003-2004, Kazakhstan - 2005-2006, Turkmenistan - 2007-2008, Iran - 2009-2010.