More than 170 sturgeon carcasses have been discovered along 15 kilometers of the Caspian Sea coast in the Karakiya district of the Mangistau region, infohub.kz reports.
The find was made on October 20 during a survey of the coastal area from the Omir Glamping resort to Peschaniy Cape and on to the Kuryk port. The dead fish were in various stages of decomposition.
Information about the discovery was passed to the 102 service of the Karakiya district, the Mangistau regional ecology department, and local executive bodies. Specialists are now collecting biological materials and seawater samples. Measures are also being taken to collect, transport, and dispose of the dead fish.
The causes of the sturgeon deaths have not been specified in the information provided. The circumstances are to be established based on the results of the investigation.
The raid was conducted earlier today by state inspectors of the Mangistau regional fisheries inspection and officers of the animal protection service of the regional fisheries department.
“All the dead fish — 173 in total — were not concentrated in one place but were scattered over an area 15 kilometers long, in some places three or four, in others more. The discovered sturgeon carcasses are in a state of natural mummification (completely dried out). Therefore, it is not possible to collect soft tissue samples for histological and toxicological analysis. Thus, it is not possible to determine the cause of death. A visual inspection found no traces of fishing nets on the fish or puncture wounds in the mouth cavity from hook gear,” the fisheries inspection department commented.