Dagestan fisheries in the Western Caspian Sea: Current status, factors of impact and recommendations to sustainable management

This article reviews the status of fisheries in the western parts of the North and Middle Caspian Sea in the territory of Dagestan Republic, the Russian Federation. Commercial fish stocks are greatly influenced by changes in the Caspian environment induced by natural (sea level fluctuations, water advection, seabed seismicity) and anthropogenic (regulation of major rivers, pollution, invasive species, etc.) factors, as well as fishery management. Fisheries development in Dagestan is reviewed by: (1) summarizing data on the biological and eco-geographical context of biological productivity; (2) evaluating the current status of stocks of the major commercial fish species in this region and assessing the prospects for their commercial use; (3) analyzing the responses of aquatic biological resources to natural and anthropogenic impacts. A number of recommendations are suggested for establishing sustainable fisheries management in the Western Caspian Region.