Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Aug. 23 / Trend H.Hasanov /
Ashgabat hosted the next meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission of Turkmenistan onthe Caspian Sea, an official Turkmen source said.
This body was created in April 2007, according to the relevant decision of the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
The meeting discussed a number of projects including the National Caspian Action Plan of Turkmenistan which has been prepared on the basis of proposals put forward at an international level and the implementation of targeted development programmes in the country.
There was also a discussion of the draft Concept of Fisheries Development of Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea for the period up to 2030.
The document provides for the strengthening of the material and technical base of the industry, creating a new fishing fleet, the training of professionals in this sphere and scientific activities aimed at sustainable use and building up of fish resources of the Caspian.
The meeting delegates also studied Turkmenistan's new draft national plan of for the prevention, response and elimination of oil spills in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea, the need for which is due to the increased volume of work at sea. According to the decision, the project will be completed by the end of this year.
A report on the work for the Caspian Environment Forum in Turkmenistan in 2012 was also heard at the meeting.
The Caspian Sea washes the coast of Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkmenistan. It is the world's largest intra-basin, not connected to the oceans.
The Caspian Sea is unique in that it has kept to this day a variety of relict flora and fauna, including the world's largest shoals of sturgeon (90 per cent of world reserves).