More than 90% of Caspian Sea sturgeons have been destroyed due to illicit fishing, said the Chairman of National Institute for Research on Sturgeons, Dr. Mohammad Pour-Kazemi, adding that following the collapse of the Soviet Union and formation of the newly independent littoral states, illicit fishing of sturgeons has led to the threat of extinction of sturgeons.

Due to illicit fishing of sturgeons in the Caspian Sea, the annual fishing has declined from 3,000 tons in 1985 to 145 tons in the year 2002.

He noted that in the year 1985, 10% of the caviar belonged to Iran, while this figure has surged to 50% in the year 2002.

He pointed that due to sturgeons being on the verge of extinction, its fishing is prohibited for other Caspian Sea littoral states, adding that Iran is the only country that is permitted to fish sturgeons due to execution of sturgeon preservation plans.

The Caspian Sea littoral states should further cooperate with each other in order to find a serious and practical solution for protection of different kinds of sturgeons, said the Managing Director of Iran Fisheries Organization, Yahya Mohammadzadeh.

He added that three research centers in three northern provinces of the country are doing research, and studies for protection of sturgeons and other aquatics in the Caspian Sea. -