Vugar Abdullayev, chairman of the “Baku Fishermen and Underwater Hunters Club” Public Union: “In order to prevent the pollution of water bodies and poaching, we must first educate and educate, and if necessary, we must also tighten the punishment measures.”
Clean maintenance and protection of water bodies in Azerbaijan, prevention of depletion of biodiversity in waters is one of the constitutional duties of every member of society. Recently, this issue has become more relevant. The Globalized World Integration Public Union with the support of the State Support Agency for Non-Governmental Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan implements the project “Monitoring of a number of water basins of the country and their biodiversity”. The purpose of the project is to help maintain and protect water basins in Azerbaijan, protect biodiversity in waters, restore control over water resources in Karabakh, maintain the beauty of nature and the cleanliness of the environment, and increase the attractiveness of the country in terms of tourism, especially ecotourism. Within the framework of the project, the opinions and proposals related to the topic are learned from experts in the field, public associations and social activists. Our interviewer on the topic is Vugar Abdullayev, the chairman of the “Baku Fishermen and Underwater Hunters Club” Public Union.
Mr. Vugar, could you first inform about the activities of the institution you represent.
Our club “Baku Fishermen and Underwater Hunters Club” Public Union was registered by the Ministry of Justice in 2011. Active activity started in December last year with the “Fishermen’s Congress” organized for the first time in Azerbaijan. At this congress, we signed an agreement with the sports fishermen’s club of our brother country, Turkey. Our club has organized a feeding campaign for birds living in the wild as January of this year passed in harsh winter conditions. In addition, we have organized an international tournament under the name “Yurd of Fires” dedicated to the 100-year memory of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev in the “surf casting” type of fishing organized in the world. We also had a beach cleaning campaign before this tournament. By organizing this tournament, our club won the right of organizing country in the International Surf Casting Friendship Cup. We will send 4 athletes to the tournament in Poland in September, 10 to the tournament in Turkey in October, 2 to Tunisia in November, and 2 to Cyprus in December. Our club works more for the development of cultured fishing in our country. In September, the country organizes the “Azerbaijan Carp Fishing Cup” in the Mingachevir Reservoir for domestic carp fishing in order to develop cultured fishing. Our goals include organizing the 2nd “Fishermen’s Congress” by the end of this year and the 2nd “Odlar Yurdu” international tournament in 2024.
How do you assess the current situation of water basins and surrounding areas in Azerbaijan?
Even if we estimate enough, our recent observations are positive, both in our water bodies and in our coastal areas, positive changes are observed in this regard. Recently, we have also observed an increase in the number of fish in water bodies.
What suggestions do you have for preventing pollution and poaching related to the Caspian Sea?
We all need to be enlightened and enlightened first. We should organize this together with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and the Water Transport Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If necessary, we should also tighten the punishment measures.
So far, what initiatives and results have you had in the field of eliminating the pollution of water bodies and protecting the biodiversity there?
Although we have resumed active activities, as mentioned above, we have had actions of feeding wild animals, cleaning the beach and releasing small fish into the water.
What effective methods should be applied to eliminate poaching cases related to water bodies?
Only enlightenment. Because our citizens who are engaged in broking are not sufficiently educated. We organize tournaments, give mass media interviews, hold congresses and regular meetings and establish representations in the provinces to educate people.
Which institutions have you cooperated with in this field?
Internationally with sports clubs, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and Sports