Caspian Sea

Since 1978 the level of the Caspian Sea has risen by around 2.5 m (8.2 ft), which has led to extensive flooding of the surrounding areas, causing damage to buildings, roads, beaches, and much farmland. The fish stocks of the sea have been adversely affected by the fluctuating water levels, as well as by pollution, overfishing, and poaching. The number of sturgeon is believed to have decreased from about 200 million in 1990 to about 60 million in the mid-1990s and the beluga sturgeon is listed as an endangered species. Untreated waste from the Volga River empties into the Caspian Sea, while agricultural run-off from fertilizers and pesticides also contributes to the pollution of its waters and shores, poisoning the fish and other wildlife—including turtles, porpoises, and seals—that live there. This pollution, combined with hunting and disease, has caused the population of Caspian seals to fall from over 1 million in the early 20th century to a maximum of 400,000 in 2002—this figure could in fact be as low as 30,000. Thousands of seals died in the spring of 2000 from canine distemper virus. The construction and operation of the oil pipelines has led to an increase in tanker traffic, which has also contributed to the rise in pollution in the region. In November 2003, the five countries bordering the Caspian Sea agreed a deal sponsored by the United Nations aimed at reducing the amount of untreated sewage and industrial waste that is pumped into the sea, in an attempt to prevent any further environmental damage.