Members pilot initiative on harmonizing fisheries data

The Central Asian and Caucasus Regional Fisheries and Aquaculture Commission (CACFish) convened a Regional Expert Meeting on the Development of a Data Collection System for Fishing Gear Use and Catches on 21–22 May 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The meeting brought together experts representing 10 countries from Central Asia and the Caucasus, under the Commission’s ongoing work programme.

CACFish is a regional body of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) that aims to improve fisheries management and conservation in the participation countries. Through regional coordination, technical collaboration and information sharing, CACFish helps its members advance responsible fisheries practices, improve food security and support aquatic resource-based livelihoods.

Organized within the framework of the CACFish Work Programme 2025–2027, the meeting built on the Commission’s previous technical work and followed recommendations from the Ninth Session of CACFish in 2025. Its primary objective was to design a pilot regional data collection system focusing on inland fishing gears used within the CACFish area of competence. 

The meeting was opened by representatives of the host country, including Zaur Alyev, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and Jeyhun Aliyev, Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Center. In their remarks, they highlighted the recent restructuring of fisheries and aquaculture administration in Azerbaijan and underscored the importance of strengthened regional cooperation for the sustainable management, conservation, and development of aquatic resources.

In his opening remarks, Haydar Fersoy, Secretary of CACFish and FAO Senior Fishery and Aquaculture Officer, underscored the pivotal role of CACFish in strengthening regional cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture, highlighting its importance as a key platform for structuring and advancing collaboration across Central Asia and the Caucasus. 

Participants reviewed existing national fisheries data collection systems, with a particular focus on the availability and quality of data related to fishing gear use. It was noted that, across the region, systematic data collection on fishing gear by fishery or species is currently limited or absent, creating a significant gap in fisheries monitoring and management.

The pilot system is expected to strengthen data quality, comparability, and regional information exchange, while supporting the gradual harmonization of fisheries statistics across CACFish Members. The system is aligned with key international instruments, including the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the Voluntary Guidelines on the Marking of Fishing Gear. Its technical framework, developed during an expert meeting in 2025 and subsequently endorsed by the Commission, was recognized for its robustness and relevance to regional priorities.

Acknowledging varying national capacities in fisheries data collection, CACFish will implement the system through a phased approach, beginning with a simplified pilot study. This approach is intended to provide a practical foundation for the future development of a fully operational, harmonized regional system.

On 22 May, marking the International Day for Biological Diversity, participants undertook a field visit to Neftchala. The celebration attracted high-level attendance, including Azerbaijan’s Minister of Agriculture, Majnun Mammadov, members of the diplomatic corps, and Bariz Mehdiyev, FAO Deputy Representative in Azerbaijan.

The programme featured a sturgeon release into the Caspian Sea, underscoring regional conservation efforts. The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Center (a public legal entity), FAO, the Neftchala District Executive Authority, and several private companies. In addition, participants toured a local sturgeon fish farm, where they were briefed on production cycles and technical practices.

The meeting marked an important step towards establishing a practical, regionally harmonized data collection mechanism to support evidence-based fisheries management across Central Asia and the Caucasus.