Caspian Sturgeon Faces Extinction, Warns Russian Academic

According to “Tehran Times”, a prominent Russian ichthyologist has warned all the Caspian littoral states of the likely extinction of the sea’s precious sturgeon and beluga (caviar producing) species in the next few years. Alexander Kasumyan, who was speaking during an international conference on sturgeon farming at the University of Urmia, told the audience the ecological problems that are threatening the sea’s fish and plant species would not be eliminated unless Iran, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkmenistan take an immediate action in joint efforts ‘to end the environmental disaster and poaching’. Kasumyan, who is a member of the Moscow State University’s Department of Ichthyology, Faculty of Biology, hailed the organizers of the conference, which started Monday, noting that such events would help accelerate the process of saving the Caspian Sea environment.

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