Management of Caspian Biodiversity Protection and Conservation

Caspian biodiversity protection is mainly focused on the recovery of a few valuable commercial species such as beluga (Huso huso Linnaeus), Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii Brandt), Persian Sturgeon (Acipenser persicus Borodin), Ship Sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky) and stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus Pallas) and Caspian Salmon (Salmo trutta caspius Kessler) which are currently endangered. Apart from these species, biodiversity change and especially habitats destruction are poorly traced and managed in the region. The Caspian genetic biodiversity is insufficiently known and restocking programmes have hardly taken into consideration the need to protect it.