The document discusses fisheries in Central Asia. It notes that water resources in the region have been subject to large-scale engineering that has affected original fish stocks. Both valuable and unwanted fish species have been introduced in an attempt to boost yields, but this has often led to temporary increases or interference with indigenous stocks. Governments prioritize water usage for irrigation and hydropower over fisheries. Current strategies focus on rehabilitating rivers and lakes to reverse salinization and maintain water levels, in order to allow for more stable fishery management. The region has potential for sustainable fisheries development through integrated planning, legislation, education, markets, international cooperation, and culture-based fisheries that support artisanal fishing communities.

1. MECAA SEMİNAR
JUNE 2016 İZMİR
Total 12 Slides and 15 Minutes
M. Binhan Ganioğlu

2. CENTRAL ASIAN REGION
WATER BASINS

3. MAJOR FISH SPECIES AND STATUS OF THE
FRESH WATER BODIES OF THE CAC
• Fisheries in arid countries of Central Asia and in Kazakhstan have a
relatively short tradition of less than 100 years. However, during this
period, water resources, originating largely from snow and ice melt,
have been subject to large-scale engineering interference required
by the growing demands for the expansion of irrigated agriculture.
Storage and diversion of flow into irrigation systems have affected
original fish stocks through changes in river discharges, blockage of
migratory pathways by dams and barrages, increase in dissolved
salt content and agrochemicals in drainage waters. In order to boost
the indigenous fish stocks, which often give poor yields, fishery
managers transferred a number of fish species from other parts of
Asia within the ex-Soviet Union. In order to improve the food base
for such fish, fish food organisms such as mysids, gammarids and
mollusks were also transferred. The introductions often increased
fish yields only temporarily or interfered with the indigenous stocks.
In addition to valuable fish species, unwanted fish were sometimes
brought in. Where river basins became interconnected through
canals, fish faunas of these basins intermingled through immigration
of species. The new fish communities now form a mixture of
indigenous and introduced fish, where one can rarely assume that a
balanced state has been achieved. The priority of the governments
remains the use of water for irrigation and hydropower production,
which leaves fishery managers in the unenviable position of
adjusting the management to the continuously changing situation,
which is often unpredictable. In order to increase fish production
present government strategies focus on the rehabilitation of rivers
and terminal lakes with the aim of arresting and reversing the
process of salinization of waters and of maintaining water level in
lakes. This allows fishery managers to develop strategies for
optimizing fish yields under more stable conditions. With the new
efforts to revitalize the Aral Sea, the large artificial terminal lakes
established from drainage and wash waters, will become of minor
importance for fisheries, as their salinity will increase beyond the
tolerance level of most fish. However, in freshwater reservoirs and
lakes, including those formed from seepage in depressions near
irrigation canals, there is considerable potential for raising fish
yields. Culture-enhanced methodologies, when introduced, should
also lead to substantial increases in fish production from these
water bodies.
• From “WB-GEF Report “The Aral Sea Crisis”

4. FISHERIES
SUSTAINABILITY
SECTOR SPECIFIC COMMUNITY SPECIFIC

5. DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY AS
ACCEPTED BY THE FAO COUNCIL IN 1988
“The management and conservation of the
natural resource base, and the orientation of
technological and institutional change in such a
manner as to ensure the attainment of continued
satisfaction of human needs for present and
future generations. Such sustainable
development conserves (land,) water, plants and
(animal) genetic resources, is environmentally
non-degrading, technologically appropriate,
economically viable and socially acceptable"

6. INDICATORS OF ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
examples of pressure, state and response
Issue Pressure (driving force) State (Condition) Response
(Mitigating action)
Overfishing Economic
losses
Overcapacity Biomass < MSY
Low catch rates
Overcapacity
Limit access
Reduce effort
Suppress subsidies
Littoral habitat degradation Coastal trawling % sea grass cover
Juveniles mortality
Protected areas
Closed seasons
Increased penalties
Extensive aquaculture (and
other pressures)
% of mangrove cover Mangrove replanting
Decrease access
Algal blooms Pollution Nutrient load
Frequency of crises
Algal productivity
Aquaculture feed -
management
Control of LBS 1

7. POTENTIAL GOVERNANCE INDICATORS OF
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF FISHERIES
ACTIVITIES and INVESTMENTS
• Data on Resources, Stakeholders, Market Competition,
Social Welfare and Management Status of Aquatic
Resources
• Relevant Guidance and Monitoring Organizations,
Authorities, Policies, Laws, Regulations
• Logistics, Markets, Fair Trade, Competitiveness,
Communication, Coordination, PPP Support , International
Equitability, Taxes, Incentives and Penalties, Insurances,
Reassurances, Legal and Sustainability Obligations,
Precautionary and Monitoring Measures
• Resource and Resource Access – Utilization Priorities and
etc.

8. MILESTONES IN THE
PLANNING OF COORDINATED FISHERIES
POTENTIAL UTILIZATION
• Data Collection and Verification, SWOT Analysis,
Needs Assessments, Risk Assessments, Cost / Benefit
Analysis, Capacity Building, Benchmarking
• Structural - Institutional – Organizational Status
Planning , Rational and Knowledge Based Strategic
Plan
• Utilization of Regional – International Cooperation
and Coordination Opportunities
• Allocation of Project and Activity based Holistic
Support and Monitoring Instruments

9. REGION SPECIFIC POSITIVE FISHERIES
INVESTMENT POTENTIALS
• Sufficient and diversified freshwater, brackish
water and potential groundwater resources
• Policy makers' and officials' interest in
supporting the development of and establishing
a sustainable fisheries industry
• Presence of National Committees involved with
fisheries issues
• Presence of Academia and Institutions
• Presence of regional and international
cooperation and communication

10. REGION SPECIFIC POSITIVE FISHERIES
INVESTMENT POTENTIALS
• Presence and continued efforts for the
development of environment and fisheries
related legislations
• Presence of an intention to support aquaculture
industry through long term leases and simplified
official procedures
• Presence of regional communication and
potential for cooperation on resource
management as well as resource and market
sharing

11. REGION SPECIFIC POSITIVE FISHERIES
INVESTMENT POTENTIALS
• Presence of International and Regional on-going
fisheries and aquatic ecosystem related
coordination and cooperation focused activities
• Availability of a young and educated work force
that could be trained in integrated fisheries and
aquaculture activities
• High market value for some cultured species
especially when the capture fisheries is
dwindling
• Preference for inclusion of fish in the diets,
especially in traditional rural areas as well as
well to do urban cities

12. REGION SPECIFIC POSITIVE FISHERIES
INVESTMENT POTENTIALS
• Relatively close to international markets where
fish is a high value commodity
• Presence of technology and know-how among
neighboring countries and international
organizations already present in the region to
plan and implement fisheries and aquaculture
facilities and sustainable structural basis for the
sector
• Presence of historical know-how and practices
on restocking of certain species and realization
of importance of culture-based fisheries focused
at support for artisanal fisheries

13. REGION SPECIFIC POSITIVE FISHERIES
INVESTMENT POTENTIALS
• Potential for diversification and sustainability of
culture-based fisheries and aquaculture activities
supported with a growing economy and regional
markets
• Presence of on-going projects focused at
rehabilitation of water bodies and planning for
building Climate Change Resilience
• Presence of small to medium size carpio and salmo
species production activities
• Presence of international technical and
administrative support on sustainable development

14. REGION SPECIFIC POSITIVE FISHERIES
INVESTMENT POTENTIALS
• Presence of international financial support on
environment, food security and safety, business
development etc.
• Presence of water bodies and dykes already
built for hydroelectricity and irrigation purposes
which can be utilized within a holistic and
diversified sustainability master plan
• Potential for implementation of integrated
Agriculture-Aquaculture systems (IAA) and
mainstreaming measures

15. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST
I WILL BE HAPPY TO RECEIVE
YOUR
VALUABLE COMMENTS AND
CONTRIBUTIONS
M. Binhan Ganioğlu