05.01.2007, 11:30 3014

CITES authorizes 2007 quotas for all Caspian Sea caviar

Brussels. January 5. Kazakhstan Today - The Secretariat of the Convention of the United Nations on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) published the export quotas for caviar

and other sturgeon products from the Caspian for 2007, the agency reports referring to the News service of the United Nations.

This year the Caspian Sea states will be able to import to the world market 86 tons of caviar and 250 tons of sturgeon fish. "Such quantity, in CITES opinion, is admissible to export and will not harm fauna of the region."

In comparison with 2005 this figure has decreased by 15 %. However, according to CITES, "the accepted quotas are based on the decision of the Caspian littoral states to reduce sturgeon catch".

Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan earlier agreed on reduction of quota on sturgeon catch by 20 % in comparison with 2005. The combined quotas for caviar exports were reduced in comparison with 2005 by 15 %, quota for the Persian caviar and stellate caviar - by 25 %.

As it was informed earlier, in January, 2006 CITES did not authorize the quotas for all black caviar and other sturgeon products from the Caspian states whereas the countries of the Caspian Sea deliver up to 90 % of all caviar sturgeon to the world markets. As a necessary condition for export renewal, CITES requested from the governments of the countries - exporters to provide more exact information on the condition of sturgeon population and to accept the measures in struggle against poaching. In April, 2006 CITES authorized Iranian export of black caviar whereas quotas for other four Caspian states - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan for 2006 were not approved.

"The decision made by CITES last year to not authorize the quota for caviar undoubtedly helped to make active programs on monitoring of fishing and strengthen scientific research being conducted by five littoral Caspian states," CITES Secretary General Willem Wijnstekers said.

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