The Caspian Sea is the largest lake on our planet, which is located in the depression earth's surface(the so-called Aral-Caspian Lowland) on the territory of Russia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Iran. Although they consider it as a lake, because it is not connected with the World Ocean, but by the nature of the formation processes and history of origin, by its size, the Caspian Sea is a sea.

The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is about 371 thousand km 2. The sea, stretching from north to south, has a length of about 1200 km and an average width of 320 km. The length of the coastline is about 7 thousand km. The Caspian Sea is located 28.5 m below the level of the World Ocean and its greatest depth is 1025 m. There are about 50 islands in the Caspian Sea, mostly small in area. The large islands include such islands as Tyuleniy, Kulaly, Zhiloy, Chechen, Artem, Ogurchinsky. There are also many bays in the sea, for example: Kizlyarsky, Komsomolets, Kazakhsky, Agrakhansky, etc.

The Caspian Sea is fed by more than 130 rivers. Largest quantity water (about 88% of the total flow) is brought by the rivers Ural, Volga, Terek, Emba, which flow into the northern part of the sea. About 7% of the flow comes from the large rivers Kura, Samur, Sulak and small ones that flow into the sea on the west coast. The rivers Heraz, Gorgan, and Sefidrud flow into the southern Iranian coast, bringing only 5% of the flow. Not a single river flows into the eastern part of the sea. The water in the Caspian Sea is salty, its salinity ranges from 0.3‰ to 13‰.

Shores of the Caspian Sea

The shores have different landscapes. The shores of the northern part of the sea are low and flat, surrounded by low-lying semi-desert and somewhat elevated desert. In the south, the shores are partly low-lying, bordered by the coastal lowland small area, behind which the Elburz ridge runs along the coast, which in some places comes close to the coast. In the west, the Greater Caucasus ranges approach the coast. In the east there is an abrasion coast, carved out of limestone, and semi-desert and desert plateaus approach it. The coastline changes greatly due to periodic fluctuations in water levels.

The climate of the Caspian Sea is different:

Continental in the north;

Moderate in the middle

Subtropical in the south.

At the same time, there are severe frosts and snowstorms on the northern shore, while fruit trees and magnolias bloom on the southern shore. In winter, strong storm winds rage at sea.

On the coast of the Caspian Sea there are big cities, ports: Baku, Lankaran, Turkmenbashi, Lagan, Makhachkala, Kaspiysk, Izberbash, Astrakhan, etc.

The fauna of the Caspian Sea is represented by 1809 species of animals. More than 70 species of fish are found in the sea, including: herring, gobies, stellate sturgeon, sturgeon, beluga, white fish, sterlet, pike perch, carp, bream, roach, etc. From marine mammals The lake is home to only the world's smallest Caspian seal, which is not found in other seas. The Caspian Sea lies on the main migratory route of birds between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Every year, about 12 million birds fly over the Caspian Sea during migration, and another 5 million usually winter here.

Vegetable world

The flora of the Caspian Sea and its coast includes 728 species. Basically, the sea is inhabited by algae: diatoms, blue-greens, red, characeae, brown and others, of the flowering ones - rupee and zoster.

The Caspian Sea is rich in reserves natural resources, many oil and gas fields are being developed in it, in addition, limestone, salt, sand, stone and clay are also mined here. The Caspian Sea is connected by the Volga-Don Canal with Sea of ​​Azov, shipping is well developed. A lot is caught in the reservoir different fish, including more than 90% of the world's sturgeon catch.

The Caspian Sea is also a recreation area; on its shores there are holiday homes, tourist centers and sanatoriums.

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Caspian Sea - the largest lake on Earth, endorheic, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, called a sea because of its size, as well as because its bed is composed of oceanic-type crust. The water in the Caspian Sea is salty, from 0.05 ‰ near the mouth of the Volga to 11-13 ‰ in the southeast. The water level is subject to fluctuations, according to 2009 data it was 27.16 m below sea level. The area of ​​the Caspian Sea is currently approximately 371,000 km², the maximum depth is 1025 m.

Geographical position

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of two parts of the Eurasian continent - Europe and Asia. The length of the Caspian Sea from north to south is approximately 1200 kilometers (36°34"-47°13" N), from west to east - from 195 to 435 kilometers, on average 310-320 kilometers (46°-56° v. d.). The Caspian Sea is conventionally divided according to physical and geographical conditions into 3 parts - the Northern Caspian, the Middle Caspian and the Southern Caspian. The conditional border between the Northern and Middle Caspian runs along the line of the island. Chechen - Cape Tyub-Karagansky, between the Middle and Southern Caspian Sea - along the line of the island. Residential - Cape Gan-Gulu. The area of ​​the Northern, Middle and Southern Caspian Sea is 25, 36, 39 percent, respectively.

The length of the coastline of the Caspian Sea is estimated at approximately 6500-6700 kilometers, with islands - up to 7000 kilometers. The shores of the Caspian Sea in most of its territory are low-lying and smooth. In the northern part, the coastline is indented by water channels and islands of the Volga and Ural deltas, the banks are low and swampy, and the water surface in many places is covered with thickets. The east coast is dominated by limestone shores adjacent to semi-deserts and deserts. The most winding shores are on the western coast in the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula and on the eastern coast in the area of ​​the Kazakh Gulf and Kara-Bogaz-Gol. The territory adjacent to the Caspian Sea is called the Caspian region.

Peninsulas of the Caspian Sea

Large peninsulas of the Caspian Sea:

• Agrakhan Peninsula
• The Absheron Peninsula, located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea on the territory of Azerbaijan, at the northeastern end of the Greater Caucasus, on its territory the cities of Baku and Sumgait are located
• Buzachi
• Mangyshlak, located on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, on the territory of Kazakhstan, on its territory is the city of Aktau
• Miankale
• Tyub-Karagan

Islands of the Caspian Sea

There are about 50 large and medium-sized islands in the Caspian Sea with a total area of ​​approximately 350 square kilometers. Largest islands:

• Ashur-Ada
• Garasu
• Boyuk-Zira
• Zyanbil
• Cure Dashi
• Khara-Zira
• Ogurchinsky
• Sengi-Mugan
• Seal
• Seal Islands
• Chechen
• Chygyl

Bays of the Caspian Sea

Large bays of the Caspian Sea:

• Agrakhan Bay
• Kizlyar Bay
• Dead Kultuk (formerly Komsomolets, formerly Tsesarevich Bay)
• Kaydak
• Mangyshlaksky
• Kazakh
• Kenderli
• Turkmenbashi (bay) (formerly Krasnovodsk)
• Turkmen (bay)
• Gizilagach (formerly Kirov Bay)
• Astrakhan (bay)
• Hasan-kuli
• Gizlar
• Hyrcanus (formerly Astarabad)
• Anzali (formerly Pahlavi)
• Kara-Bogaz-Gol

Rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea-130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, of which 9 rivers have a delta-shaped mouth. Large rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea are the Volga, Terek, Sulak, Samur (Russia), Ural, Emba (Kazakhstan), Kura (Azerbaijan), Atrek (Turkmenistan), Sefidrud (Iran) and others. Largest river, flowing into the Caspian Sea - the Volga, its average annual flow is 215-224 cubic kilometers. The Volga, Ural, Terek, Sulak and Emba provide up to 88-90% of the annual flow into the Caspian Sea.

Physiography

Area, depth, volume of water- the area and volume of water in the Caspian Sea varies significantly depending on fluctuations in water level. At a water level of −26.75 m, the area is approximately 371,000 square kilometers, the volume of water is 78,648 cubic kilometers, which is approximately 44% of the world's lake water reserves. The maximum depth of the Caspian Sea is in the South Caspian depression, 1025 meters from its surface level. In terms of maximum depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal (1620 m) and Tanganyika (1435 m). The average depth of the Caspian Sea, calculated from the bathygraphic curve, is 208 meters. At the same time, the northern part of the Caspian Sea is shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 25 meters, and the average depth is 4 meters.

Water level fluctuations- the water level in the Caspian Sea is subject to significant fluctuations. According to modern science, over the past three thousand years, the magnitude of the change in the water level of the Caspian Sea has reached 15 meters. According to archeology and written sources, it is recorded high level Caspian Sea at the beginning of the 14th century. Instrumental measurements of the level of the Caspian Sea and systematic observations of its fluctuations have been carried out since 1837, during which time the highest water level was recorded in 1882 (−25.2 m), the lowest in 1977 (−29.0 m), with Since 1978, the water level has risen and in 1995 reached −26.7 m; since 1996, a downward trend has emerged again. Scientists associate the reasons for changes in the water level of the Caspian Sea with climatic, geological and anthropogenic factors. But in 2001, sea level began to rise again, and reached −26.3 m.

Water temperature- water temperature is subject to significant latitudinal changes, most clearly expressed in winter, when the temperature varies from 0-0.5 °C at the ice edge in the north of the sea to 10-11 °C in the south, that is, the water temperature difference is about 10 ° C. For shallow water areas with depths less than 25 m, the annual amplitude can reach 25-26 °C. On average, the water temperature off the west coast is 1-2 °C higher than that on the east, and in the open sea the water temperature is 2-4 °C higher than off the coasts.

Water composition- the salt composition of the waters of the closed Caspian Sea differs from the oceanic one. There are significant differences in the ratios of concentrations of salt-forming ions, especially for waters in areas directly influenced by continental runoff. The process of metamorphism of sea waters under the influence of continental runoff leads to a decrease in the relative content of chlorides in the total amount of salts sea ​​waters, increase relative amount carbonates, sulfates, calcium, which are the main components in chemical composition river waters. The most conservative ions are potassium, sodium, chlorine and magnesium. The least conservative are calcium and bicarbonate ions. In the Caspian Sea, the content of calcium and magnesium cations is almost two times higher than in the Sea of ​​Azov, and the sulfate anion is three times higher.

Bottom relief- the relief of the northern part of the Caspian Sea is a shallow undulating plain with banks and accumulative islands, the average depth of the Northern Caspian Sea is 4-8 meters, the maximum does not exceed 25 meters. The Mangyshlak threshold separates the Northern Caspian from the Middle Caspian. The Middle Caspian is quite deep, the water depth in the Derbent depression reaches 788 meters. The Absheron threshold separates the Middle and Southern Caspian Seas. The Southern Caspian is considered deep-sea; the water depth in the South Caspian depression reaches 1025 meters from the surface of the Caspian Sea. Shell sands are widespread on the Caspian shelf, deep-sea areas are covered with silty sediments, and in some areas there is an outcrop of bedrock.

Climate- the climate of the Caspian Sea is continental in the northern part, temperate in the middle part and subtropical in the southern part. In winter average monthly temperature air temperature varies from −8…−10 in the northern part to +8…+10 in the southern part, in summer - from +24…+25 in the northern part to +26…+27 in the southern part. Maximum temperature+44 degrees was recorded on the east coast. The average annual precipitation is 200 millimeters, ranging from 90-100 millimeters in the arid eastern part to 1,700 millimeters along the southwestern subtropical coast. Evaporation of water from the surface of the Caspian Sea is about 1000 millimeters per year, the most intense evaporation in the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula and in the eastern part of the South Caspian Sea is up to 1400 millimeters per year. The average annual wind speed is 3-7 meters per second, with northern winds prevailing in the wind rose. In the autumn and winter months, winds become stronger, with wind speeds often reaching 35-40 meters per second. The most windy areas are the Absheron Peninsula, the environs of Makhachkala and Derbent, where the highest wave of 11 meters was recorded.

Currents- water circulation in the Caspian Sea is associated with drainage and winds. Since most of the drainage occurs in the Northern Caspian Sea, northern currents predominate. An intense northern current carries water from the Northern Caspian along the western coast to the Absheron Peninsula, where the current divides into two branches, one of which moves further along the western coast, the other goes to the Eastern Caspian.

Economic development of the Caspian Sea

Mining of oil and gas-Many oil and gas fields are being developed in the Caspian Sea. Proven oil resources in the Caspian Sea are about 10 billion tons, total oil and gas condensate resources are estimated at 18-20 billion tons. Oil production in the Caspian Sea began in 1820, when the first oil well was drilled on the Absheron shelf near Baku. In the second half of the 19th century, oil production began on an industrial scale on the Absheron Peninsula, and then in other territories. In 1949, oil was first produced at Neftyanye Kamni from the bottom of the Caspian Sea. So, on August 24 of this year, Mikhail Kaverochkin’s team began drilling a well, which yielded the long-awaited oil on November 7 of the same year. In addition to oil and gas production, salt, limestone, stone, sand, and clay are also mined on the coast of the Caspian Sea and the Caspian shelf.

Shipping- Shipping is developed in the Caspian Sea. There are ferry crossings on the Caspian Sea, in particular, Baku - Turkmenbashi, Baku - Aktau, Makhachkala - Aktau. The Caspian Sea has a shipping connection with the Sea of ​​Azov through the Volga, Don and Volga-Don Canal rivers.

Fishing and seafood production-fishing (sturgeon, bream, carp, pike perch, sprat), caviar production, as well as seal fishing. More than 90 percent of the world's sturgeon catch occurs in the Caspian Sea. In addition to industrial mining, illegal fishing of sturgeon and their caviar flourishes in the Caspian Sea.

Legal status of the Caspian Sea- after the collapse of the USSR, the division of the Caspian Sea for a long time was and still remains the subject of unresolved disagreements related to the division of Caspian shelf resources - oil and gas, as well as biological resources. For a long time, negotiations were ongoing between the Caspian states on the status of the Caspian Sea - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan insisted on dividing the Caspian along the median line, Iran insisted on dividing the Caspian one-fifth between all Caspian states. The current legal regime of the Caspian was established by the Soviet-Iranian treaties of 1921 and 1940 These treaties provide for freedom of navigation throughout the sea, freedom of fishing with the exception of ten-mile national fishing zones and a ban on vessels flying the flag of non-Caspian states sailing in its waters. Negotiations about legal status The Caspian Sea is currently ongoing.

Bottom relief

The relief of the northern part of the Caspian Sea is a shallow undulating plain with banks and accumulative islands, the average depth of the Northern Caspian Sea is about 4 - 8 meters, the maximum does not exceed 25 meters. The Mangyshlak threshold separates the Northern Caspian from the Middle Caspian. The Middle Caspian is quite deep, the water depth in the Derbent depression reaches 788 meters. The Absheron threshold separates the Middle and Southern Caspian Seas. The Southern Caspian Sea is considered deep-water; the water depth in the South Caspian depression reaches 1,025 meters from the surface of the Caspian Sea. Shell sands are widespread on the Caspian shelf, deep-sea areas are covered with silty sediments, and in some areas there is an outcrop of bedrock.

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna of the Caspian Sea are quite poor in species composition, but significant in terms of biomass. The Caspian Sea is home to more than 500 species of plants and 854 species of fish and animals, diverse in their origin. Among the plants in the Caspian Sea, blue-green and diatoms (rhizosoleniums, etc.) predominate. Among the recent invaders there are many red and brown algae. Of the flowering plants, the most common are Zostera and Ruppia. The largest biomass is produced by charophytic algae (up to 30 kg per 1 m3 of bottom). In origin, the fauna is mainly of Neogene age, which experienced great changes due to frequent and significant fluctuations in salinity. This group includes fish - sturgeon, herring, sprat, gobies, puglov, mollusks - dracenas and corsets, and other invertebrates - gammarids, polychaetes, sponges, and one type of jellyfish. In addition, 15 species of invaders from the Arctic and Mediterranean basins live here. A noticeable group is represented by organisms of freshwater origin (fish - pike perch). In general, a high degree of endemism is characteristic. Some organisms migrated to the Caspian Sea quite recently, either as a result of introduction on the bottoms of sea vessels (mainly various fouling organisms, for example, mytilaster, rhizosolenia algae, balanus, as well as crabs), or through deliberate acclimatization by humans (for example, from fish - mullet, from invertebrates - nereis, syndesmia).

The Caspian Sea is one of the most amazing closed bodies of water on Earth.

Over the centuries, the sea has changed more than 70 names. The modern one came from the Caspians - tribes inhabiting the central and southeastern part of Transcaucasia 2 thousand years BC.

Geography of the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea is located at the junction of Europe and Asia and geographical location is divided into the Southern, Northern and Middle Caspian. The middle and northern part of the sea belongs to Russia, the southern to Iran, the eastern to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and the southwestern to Azerbaijan. For many years, the Caspian states have been dividing the Caspian waters among themselves, and quite sharply at that.

Lake or sea?

In fact, the Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake, but has a number of marine signs. These include: a large body of water, strong storms with high waves, high and low tides. But the Caspian Sea does not have a natural connection with the World Ocean, which makes it impossible to call it a sea. At the same time, thanks to the Volga and artificially created channels, such a connection appeared. The salinity of the Caspian Sea is 3 times lower than the usual sea salinity, which does not allow the reservoir to be classified as a sea.

There were times when Caspian seas was truly part of the oceans. Several tens of thousands of years ago the Caspian Sea was connected to the Sea of ​​Azov, and through it to the Black and Mediterranean. As a result of long-term processes occurring in the earth's crust, the Caucasus Mountains were formed, which isolated the reservoir. The connection between the Caspian and Black Seas was carried out for a long time through the strait (Kuma-Manych depression) and gradually ceased.

Physical quantities

Area, volume, depth

The area, volume and depth of the Caspian Sea are not constant and directly depend on the water level. On average, the area of ​​the reservoir is 371,000 km², the volume is 78,648 km³ (44% of all world lake water reserves).

(The depth of the Caspian Sea in comparison with lakes Baikal and Tanganyika)

The average depth of the Caspian Sea is 208 m; the northern part of the sea is considered the shallowest. The maximum depth is 1025 m, noted in the South Caspian depression. In terms of depth, the Caspian Sea is second only to Baikal and Tanganyika.

The length of the lake from north to south is about 1200 km, from west to east on average 315 km. The length of the coastline is 6600 km, with islands - about 7 thousand km.

Shores

Basically, the coast of the Caspian Sea is low-lying and smooth. In the northern part it is heavily indented by the river channels of the Urals and Volga. The swampy shores here are located very low. The eastern shores adjoin semi-desert zones and deserts and are covered with limestone deposits. The most winding shores are in the west in the area of ​​the Absheron Peninsula, and in the east in the area of ​​the Kazakh Bay and Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

Sea water temperature

(Temperature of the Caspian Sea in different time of the year)

The average winter water temperature in the Caspian Sea ranges from 0 °C in the northern part to +10 °C in the southern part. In Iranian waters, the temperature does not drop below +13 °C. With the onset of cold weather, the shallow northern part of the lake is covered with ice, which lasts for 2-3 months. The thickness of the ice cover is 25-60 cm, and at especially low temperatures it can reach 130 cm. Late autumn and in winter, drifting ice floes can be observed in the north.

In summer average temperature The surface water temperature in the sea is + 24 °C. In most parts the sea warms up to +25 °C…+30 °C. Warm water and beautiful sandy, occasionally shell and pebble beaches create excellent conditions for a full-fledged beach holiday. In the eastern part of the Caspian Sea, near the city of Begdash, anomalous conditions persist in the summer months. low temperature water.

Nature of the Caspian Sea

Islands, peninsulas, bays, rivers

The Caspian Sea includes about 50 large and medium-sized islands, with a total area of ​​350 km². The largest of them are: Ashur-Ada, Garasu, Gum, Dash and Boyuk-Zira. The largest peninsulas are: Agrakhansky, Absheronsky, Buzachi, Mangyshlak, Miankale and Tyub-Karagan.

(Tyuleniy Island in the Caspian Sea, part of the Dagestan Nature Reserve)

The largest bays of the Caspian include: Agrakhansky, Kazakhsky, Kizlyarsky, Dead Kultuk and Mangyshlaksky. In the east is the salt lake Kara-Bogaz-Gol, which was previously a lagoon connected to the sea by a strait. In 1980, a dam was built on it, through which water from the Caspian goes to Kara-Bogaz-Gol, where it then evaporates.

130 rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, located mainly in its northern part. The largest of them are: Volga, Terek, Sulak, Samur and Ural. The average annual drainage of the Volga is 220 km³. 9 rivers have delta-shaped mouths.

Flora and fauna

The Caspian Sea is home to about 450 species of phytoplankton, including algae, aquatic and flowering plants. Of the 400 species of invertebrates, worms, crustaceans and molluscs predominate. There are a lot of small shrimp in the sea, which are the object of fishing.

More than 120 species of fish live in the Caspian Sea and its delta. Fishing objects include sprat (“Kilkin fleet”), catfish, pike, bream, pike perch, kutum, mullet, roach, rudd, herring, white fish, pike perch, goby, grass carp, burbot, asp and pike perch. Stocks of sturgeon and salmon are currently depleted, however, the sea is the largest supplier of black caviar in the world.

Fishing in the Caspian Sea is allowed all year round except for the period from late April to late June. There are many fishing bases with all amenities on the coast. Fishing in the Caspian Sea is a great pleasure. In any part of it, including in large cities, the catch is unusually rich.

The lake is famous for its wide variety of waterfowl. Geese, ducks, loons, gulls, waders, eagles, geese, swans and many others fly to the Caspian Sea during the migration or nesting period. The largest number of birds - over 600 thousand individuals - is observed at the mouths of the Volga and Ural, in the Turkmenbashi and Kyzylagach bays. During the hunting season, a huge number of fishermen come here not only from Russia, but also from countries near and far abroad.

The Caspian Sea is home to the only mammal. This is the Caspian seal or seal. Until recently, seals swam close to the beaches, everyone could admire the amazing animal with round black eyes, and the seals behaved very friendly. Now the seal is on the verge of extinction.

Cities on the Caspian Sea

The largest city on the Caspian Sea coast is Baku. The population of one of the most beautiful cities in the world is over 2.5 million people. Baku is located on the picturesque Absheron Peninsula and is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the warm and oil-rich Caspian Sea. Less big cities: the capital of Dagestan is Makhachkala, the Kazakh Aktau, the Turkmen Turkmenbashi and the Iranian Bender-Anzeli.

(Baku Bay, Baku - a city on the Caspian Sea)

Interesting Facts

Scientists are still arguing about whether to call a body of water a sea or a lake. The level of the Caspian Sea is gradually decreasing. The Volga delivers most of the water to the Caspian Sea. 90% of black caviar is mined in the Caspian Sea. Among them, the most expensive is the albino beluga caviar “Almas” ($2 thousand per 100 g).

Companies from 21 countries are taking part in the development of oil fields in the Caspian Sea. By Russian estimates hydrocarbon reserves at sea amount to 12 billion tons. American scientists claim that a fifth of the world's hydrocarbon reserves are concentrated in the depths of the Caspian Sea. This is more than the combined reserves of oil-producing countries such as Kuwait and Iraq.

The biodiversity of the Caspian region is due to history and geographic isolation. Biodiversity aquatic environment The Caspian Sea is associated with the long history of the sea and its isolation, which contributed to speciation. The number of endemic aquatic taxa is impressive - 400. There are 115 species of fish in the Caspian Sea, some of which are anadromous and migrate to rivers to spawn. Among them, the most famous are the seven species and subspecies of sturgeon, which have been a valuable economic resource for centuries. The endemic Caspian seal is one of two species of freshwater seals existing in the world (another species lives in Lake Baikal). Coastal wetlands, including temporary and permanent lakes, many of which are saltwater, attract different kinds birds. During the year, birds are found in large numbers in and around the Caspian Sea; During migration, their numbers increase significantly; the birds occupy vast deltas, shallow waters and wetlands.

The Caspian region is located in the center of the Palearctic zoogeographic zone and consists of two main biomes - cold continental deserts and semi-deserts in the north and east and warmer mixed mountain and foothill systems with complex zoning in the southwest and south. There is also a small area around the Volga delta in the west, where there are meadows belonging to temperate climate. Thanks to the range climatic conditions The biological diversity of the Caspian Sea is enormous. This is also facilitated by the presence of wetlands, for example, in the deltas of the Volga, Ural and Kura, as well as the highly saline Kara-Bogaz-Gol.

The presence of diverse habitats is associated with the complex history of the formation of the Caspian Sea. Like Australia, the Caspian Sea became isolated thousands of years ago geographical object. This isolation led to the speciation of many rare animals, particularly sturgeon.

Sturgeons existed 200 million years ago, during the time of dinosaurs, so they can be called living fossils. At that time, sturgeon lived in many ancient seas. Later, in the process of evolution, perhaps due to competition with bony fish, sturgeon began to die out, but were able to survive in the Caspian Sea. This giant lake contains more than 90% of the world's sturgeon stocks. Moreover, the Caspian Sea is home to many rare species crustaceans and molluscs.

The Caspian Sea is world famous for its fish stocks and especially the delicious Caspian sturgeon caviar. The fish resources of the sea are known all over the world, being the main source of proteins in the diet of the coastal population. Consumption of sprat and sturgeon has great importance for the region.

The Caspian Sea is home to about 90 percent of the world's reserves sturgeon fish. However, perhaps in five years the Caspian sturgeon will disappear completely. Now their numbers have reached a critical level. Tragic times have come for the Caspian Sea itself. This situation has developed in all five Caspian countries.

In total, there are 26 species of sturgeon in nature, of which 11 are in Russia: Russian, Siberian, Amur, Sakhalin, beluga, stellate sturgeon, thorn, sterlet and others.

In Russia, the main habitats of sturgeon are the Volga-Caspian, Azov, Amur and Ob-Irtysh basins. Sturgeon has traditionally been a commercial fishery and export item. Three species of sturgeon (Baikal, Sakhalin, Atlantic) are named in the Red Book Russian Federation and excluded from economic circulation.

IN last years The number of sturgeons is sharply declining, as are the volumes of catch. According to the World Conservation Fund, from 1978 to 1994, the number of adult sturgeon in the Caspian Sea decreased from 142 million to 43.5 million. According to the ministry Agriculture and food supply of the Russian Federation, the reduction in the number of some sturgeon species is so catastrophic that the industrial fishery for beluga has practically ceased: the individuals caught during the spring fishing season were barely enough for planting material for Astrakhan fish hatcheries. Experts believe that if the current trend continues, in two years the number of sturgeon will drop so much that the fishery will have to be banned.

The decrease in the sturgeon population has led to a reduction in the world's production of black caviar. World trade in caviar last year amounted to $125 million.

Existed during Soviet Union The system of regulation of fishing and reproduction made it possible to annually catch up to 25 thousand tons of fish and release up to 2.5 thousand tons of caviar without much damage to the sturgeon stock.

The collapse of the USSR and, as a consequence, the unified state system of fisheries protection, the lack of coordination in the views of new sovereign states The Caspian region's response to the problem of preserving Caspian fish stocks led to irreparable damage to sturgeon populations.

Poachers from the Azerbaijani and Kazakh sides are conducting barbaric marine fishing. After the collapse of the Union, according to some sources, they annually produce about 5 - 6 thousand tons of sturgeon with not yet ripened caviar. Poached caviar is packaged in old jars with Russian trademarks and sent not only to Europe, but also to Moscow. Russian Dagestan and Kalmykia also contribute to sea poaching.

Currently, Russia accounts for about 800 tons of the total volume of sturgeon produced by the countries of the Caspian region. The rest is distributed between Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. At the same time, Russia and Iran are engaged in raising juveniles, while the rest only catch them. During the autumn fishing season of 1997, it is expected to catch about 1 thousand tons of fish, of which the Russian quota is 700 - 800 tons (that is, less than 100 tons of black caviar).

For years now, there has been debate about what needs to be done first to reverse this trend. It is obvious that the efforts of the Russian police alone to combat poaching are not enough here. Moreover, Russians are responsible only for their own territory.

Both the problem of rising water levels and the problem of biological resources of the Caspian Sea are an interstate problem. And it can only be solved in concert and simultaneously in all Caspian countries. In 1992, the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS countries gave instructions to develop an Agreement on the conservation and use of biological resources of the Caspian Sea. But the agreement has not yet been signed. One of the problems on the way to signing arose the question of the status of the Caspian Sea.