Tengrinews.kz file photo
The Prosecutor's Office of East Kazakhstan Oblast is concerned over a severe reduction in the population of fish in the region’s water reservoirs, Tengrinews reports. The authorities are especially concerned with the population of fish in Zaisan Lake and Bukhtarminsk Water Reservoir. Over the past 4 years sander population in Zaisan Lake has almost halved from 14.2 to 7.5 million, bream population has quartered, roach population has decreased by 34%, the number of orfe reduced by 60% and the population of perch dropped by 70%. The situation in Bukhtarminsk Reservoir is similar. The Prosecutor’s Office believes that both poachers and authorities are to be blamed for the disastrous dive of the fish population. A check of the authorities responsible for the fish population revealed that they failed to perform their obligations to evaluate, protect and reproduce the fish reserves. Poaching is rampant all throughout the Zaisan-Irtysh basin. The criminal networks involve corrupt officials. No fishing bans are properly observed, even during spawning seasons and at spawning locations. Besides, the Chinese fish line nets that are banned in Kazakhstan are put to wide use in the region. The Prosecutors found that offense detection rate of the region's Fish Inspection makes a little more than one case per month per an inspector, and the amount of damages caused by the detected offenses does not even reach 7,000 tenge ($46). The Prosecutors also found that offense detection rate of the region's Environment Protection Police makes less then one case per month per an officer, and the amount of damages caused by the detected offenses is always below 2,000 tenge ($13). The Prosecutors' check of the region's Task Unit found that the unit's rate is 0.2 cases a month per an officer. "The checks showed that the authorities had failed to take appropriate measures to counter and rout out poaching. They are doing their work for the statistics sake alone and to give an impression that things are fine in the region,” the Prosecutor’s Office of East Kazakhstan Oblast summarized. Pollution is the third cause that damages the fish population in the region. Excessive pollution has been discovered at the Black Irtysh River that falls into Zhaisan Lake. The concentration of heavy metals exceeds the limit five-fold. Petroleum products content is registered in the river from time to time. In 2009-2013 the water pollution has worsened. This will have a negative effect on the river's flora and fauna. “But despite such condition, the Ecology Department of East Kazakhstan Oblast does nothing to change the situation for the better,” the Prosecutors' message says.
The Prosecutor's Office of East Kazakhstan Oblast is concerned over a severe reduction in the population of fish in the region’s water reservoirs, Tengrinews reports.
The authorities are especially concerned with the population of fish in Zaisan Lake and Bukhtarminsk Water Reservoir. Over the past 4 years sander population in Zaisan Lake has almost halved from 14.2 to 7.5 million, bream population has quartered, roach population has decreased by 34%, the number of orfe reduced by 60% and the population of perch dropped by 70%. The situation in Bukhtarminsk Reservoir is similar.
The Prosecutor’s Office believes that both poachers and authorities are to be blamed for the disastrous dive of the fish population. A check of the authorities responsible for the fish population revealed that they failed to perform their obligations to evaluate, protect and reproduce the fish reserves. Poaching is rampant all throughout the Zaisan-Irtysh basin. The criminal networks involve corrupt officials. No fishing bans are properly observed, even during spawning seasons and at spawning locations. Besides, the Chinese fish line nets that are banned in Kazakhstan are put to wide use in the region.
The Prosecutors found that offense detection rate of the region's Fish Inspection makes a little more than one case per month per an inspector, and the amount of damages caused by the detected offenses does not even reach 7,000 tenge ($46).
The Prosecutors also found that offense detection rate of the region's Environment Protection Police makes less then one case per month per an officer, and the amount of damages caused by the detected offenses is always below 2,000 tenge ($13).
The Prosecutors' check of the region's Task Unit found that the unit's rate is 0.2 cases a month per an officer.
"The checks showed that the authorities had failed to take appropriate measures to counter and rout out poaching. They are doing their work for the statistics sake alone and to give an impression that things are fine in the region,” the Prosecutor’s Office of East Kazakhstan Oblast summarized.
Pollution is the third cause that damages the fish population in the region. Excessive pollution has been discovered at the Black Irtysh River that falls into Zhaisan Lake. The concentration of heavy metals exceeds the limit five-fold. Petroleum products content is registered in the river from time to time.
In 2009-2013 the water pollution has worsened. This will have a negative effect on the river's flora and fauna. “But despite such condition, the Ecology Department of East Kazakhstan Oblast does nothing to change the situation for the better,” the Prosecutors' message says.