The VIII session of the Central Asian and Caucasus Regional Fisheries and Aquaculture Commission (CACFish) under the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has commenced in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Over the two-day session, representatives from Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, alongside observers from Russia, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, will discuss crucial topics related to sustainable water basin and aquatic biological resource management in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The session’s agenda includes deliberations on exploring fish resources in the inland waters of the region’s countries, developing regional principles for fisheries management, and adopting key documents.
Among the notable attendees are Azerbaijan’s Minister of Agriculture, Majnun Mammadov, and representatives from various agencies focusing on state water resources, food security, small and medium-sized business development, and the UN Resident Coordinator in Azerbaijan, Vladanka Andreeva.
CACFish, established as a Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) under Article XIV of the FAO Constitution, plays a vital role in regulating and conserving aquatic resources in the inland waters of Central Asian and Caucasus states.
The session highlights the commitment of member countries and observers to collaborate on managing and sustaining fisheries in the convention area, furthering the goals set by the APFIC (Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission) Agreement approved at the 137th Session of the FAO Council in 2009.