Caspian Fishermen’s Lament

More than 200 Iranian fishing boats have been forced to stop catching kilka fish, a cheap and popular food, from the Caspian Sea because their stocks have been steadily depleted over the past decade by the tiny comb jellyfish, which is also referred to as the Caspian monster.

“Some 80 percent of Iranian fishermen in the Caspian Sea area are now unemployed and the rest are fishing types of fish which are not economically profitable,” Yousof Mohseni, the director of the Iranian Union of Fishing Cooperatives, said sadly.

“Officials were supposed to pay us Rls.40 billion (about 5 million dollars) in compensation, but have not yet done so,” he added.

Earlier this summer, Yahya Mohammadzadeh, the managing director of the Iranian Fisheries Company, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, had said that stock of kilka in the Caspian had been reduced to 80,000 tons from 400,000 tons in the past four years while Iran has experienced a reduction of 34,000 tons in the catch for the aforementioned period. 

The Invader

All of this can be blamed on a tiny creature whose insatiable appetite causes it to eat massive amounts of plankton, the main diet of the kilka, as well as crustaceans and other food for fish.

The invasive comb jellyfish, a serious competitor to plankton-feeding fish, is a beautiful creature, some 1 to 10 centimeters in length and weighing 3 to 10 grams.

The problem is that the comb jellyfish competes for food with both abundant small fish such as the kilka and with large predators such as seals that feed on fish.

They even consume fish eggs and larvae, endangering other species but, fortunately, not the famous sturgeon, which produces caviar. Thus, the creature simultaneously preys on fish and competes with them for food.

The Caspian Sea

About 130 fish species and varieties inhabit the Caspian Sea, which are commercially divided into two groups: cartilaginous and bony fish. The bony fish consist of kilka and other species like carp, perch, mullet, and gobies. The tiny comb jellyfish only threatens bony fish.

According to the 2003 Encarta Encyclopedia, the big lake covers an area of 370,998 sq. km. (143,243 sq. mi.) and contains some very rare fish which are currently on the World Conservation Union (also known as the IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. In addition, many species are found only in this saltwater lake. 

Historical Background of the Disaster

The history of the non-indigenous newcomer, Mnemiopsis Leidy (pronounced NEH-me-op-sis), observed in waters of the Middle and South Caspian, dates back to the early 1980s, when an unknown ship brought an unexpected guest to the Black Sea.

Less than two decades later, the invader, originally from brackish water in bays and river mouths of the east coast of North America, swam into the world’s biggest lake through the Volga-Don Canal linking the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea.

The newcomers began threatening the sea’s already declining fish stocks. Immediately, competition for food increased fiercely and the indigenous species began to lose out.

Worst of all, the comb jellyfish thrives in the Caspian Sea because it has no predators, as was the case in the Black Sea. For this reason, by 1990 the total weight of all comb jellyfish in the Black Sea was estimated at 1 billion tons -- approximately equal to the weight of all the fish caught in all the oceans that year.

The voracious appetite of the comb jellyfish helps the creature double its size in just one day. It grows to maturity within two weeks and then produces 8,000 offspring every day.

Possible Solutions

The countries around the Black Sea have been extremely successful in wiping out the comb jellyfish by introducing gelatinous plankton called Beroe Ovalis. Introducing butterfish, a small, edible fish that feeds on comb jellyfish and other jellyfish, has also been discussed as another solution.

Unfortunately, Iranian officials have not yet realized the gravity of the situation.

“Nothing has yet been done. Officials just shirk their responsibilities, saying research is underway,” Mohseni complained.

He believes that the Iranian Fisheries Company and other organizations suffer from poor management since they have not effectively dealt with problems like the comb jellyfish.

Some experts suggest that transferring Caspian Sea fishing boats to the Persian Gulf could be an alternative, but Mohseni disagrees, saying, “It is absolutely impossible to make changes.”

The suggestion probably will not work because northern fishing is very different from southern fishing in regard to climate, salinity, and other factors.

“Changes are not economical. Something else must be done to help fishermen who have lost their livelihood,” Mohseni said.     

Looking to the Future

Oil exploration activities by newly independent Caspian states have increased over the past decade. There are plans to transfer oil and gas through underwater pipelines beneath the Caspian Sea and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project, which could cause more environmental damage.

UNESCO conducted a study on pollution levels in the Caspian Sea, but now the international community has voiced its concern that the Caspian may soon become a dead sea, as is the case with the Aral Sea.

Overfishing has raised more concerns over the future of the sea, as well. 

It is sad to note that over 30 Caspian species have become extinct while more are waiting to be placed on the endangered species list. Relevant officials and organizations should use foresight to prevent further catastrophes.

The Caspian Sea Convention on the sea’s ecosystem, the first collective agreement between the littoral states which was signed at a meeting held in Tehran November 3-4, sets a precedent for future agreements and could pave the way for further regional cooperation.

Obviously, Iran and the other Caspian littoral states must take immediate action to remedy the situation. There is no time to waste. The crisis threatens the economies and ecosystems of all the littoral states. The Caspian Sea is a treasure which must be preserved for future generations.

AF/IS
END
MNA