Title : Bioecological features and management of endemic fish species in Issyk-Kul Lake, Kyrgyz Republic
Abstract:
Lake Issyk Kul area 6 826 km2 is the largest water body in the Kyrgyz Republic and the second largest high-altitude lake in the world. Lake Issyk-Kul has also been declared an official Ramsar site of globally significant biodiversity. For hundreds of years, lake Issyk-Kul has been important as the main fishing reservoir of the Kyrgyz Republic - a source of fish resource extraction, as well as a recreation facility for the creation of health resorts. Fishing potential in Lake Issyk-Kul has declined dramatically and populations of several native and endemic species are now threatened with extinction due to unsustainable use of fish species. The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic has imposed a moratorium on fishing to restore resources. Rapidly declining fish populations have been attributed to unplanned and unmanaged introductions of various predatory fish species into the indigenous fish fauna of the lake. In addition, the ban on fishing in the lake has led to uncontrolled fishing often with gear that is not suitable. Cheap, substandard nets have also been blamed for problems in the lake- often the fishermen do not even bother to lift the nets out of the water. Currently, effective measures for the management and conservation of existing fish stocks, as well as daily monitoring of the biological diversity of their quality and quantity of distribution are necessary for «careful» fishing. Also, studied radiation levels in fish tissues and water in Issyk-Kul Lake and in soils surrounding the lake and provided recommendations to prevent exceeding permissible levels.
