The Aral Sea and its Fishery

A project report

  From Kattegat to Aral Sea – a fishery project

PART 3

In August 1997, a midway evaluation was made on the 1996 results. From the project side, we wanted an overall view of the local events in the period October 96 - August 97.

The evaluation took place through meetings with all parties involved. The sequence of meetings started in Raim, and continued to all other villages in and around the delta, and from there the route went via Aralsk to Djambul and Tastubek. We established a head quarter in Aralsk, where meetings were held with the villages that hadn´t been involved in the project in 1996, and with all parties involved from Aralsk. Meetings were held in the oblast capital Kzyl-Orda, and in Almaty.

The evaluation-team consisted the co-ordinators from Denmark and Kazakstan, together with the president of the fishermen's union in the Kzyl-Orda oblast. The composition of the evaluation-team was motivated by languages: The Danish co-ordinator gave a summary of his impressions, they were translated into Russian, and in the end everything was explained in Kazak. The Kazak appeared to be the most important part, since it activated the discussion.

The following subjects were to be examined:

1. An important issue was, whether or not the leaderships had fulfilled their contractual obligations towards the fishermen, and the response of the fishermen as to this.
2. We also needed a clearer picture of how much flounder had been caught, where, how, and at what price and to whom it had been sold.
3. We were aware of the changes of ownership in Aralrybprom and the formal consequences of it. Aralrybprom had been reconverted into a joint-stock company, and the general director dismissed, suspected of corruption. But we were not so sure about what were the practical consequences of this.
4. We had a limited knowledge of the events in the kolhozes Raim and Djambul: what significance and what consequences had the project had? In the kolhozes too, there is a lot of talk about privatisation in these days.
5. How was the general reaction among media and the public?
6. How was the reaction among the official authorities in Aralsk and Kzyl-Orda?

Re 1. The meetings with the fishermen were held like this. The group arrived in for example Karateren. We were met by the village fishery chairman, in some places also by the Akim. The introductory meeting was held with the village leaders and chosen fishermen, always fishermen who had been in Denmark or participated in the 1996 trial fishery. During a very big meal, information was exchanged: how much the fishermen of the village had caught, where, when and at what price the fish had been sold and to whom, and also other subjects were discussed such as the conversion of the Aralrybprom, the dam-building, the perspectives of the future.

After that, a meeting was called for in the fishermen's house/office, including 15 to 20 people, mostly fishermen. During this meeting, the fishermen told their stories, how much had been caught, when and in what part of the sea. The fishermen told that they much hoped for a continuation of the project, and that the flounder fishery could be the fishery that meant that they didn't have to travel the long distances to other lakes to fish. Furthermore, they hoped that we from the Danish side would provide more boats, nets, clothes and equipment.

The most important states of affairs that we were to shed light on, were those concerning the fishermen's views upon their benefit from the fishery - had they for instance received the salaries that had been agreed upon in connection with the trial fishery in 1996? This point was important, because the leaders had obligated themselves in the contract to use $ 7,000 for salaries from the $20,000 they were to invest in the project.

On the face of it, the fishermen didn't understand the question: "Salary? But we haven't received any salaries for years - you know that". We knew, but having asked this question, we could proceed with the explanation that salaries were part of the agreement, the contract, between the leaders and the project: The $7,100 that were to be divided among all the active fishermen, who took part in the practical fishery in 1996. This figure meant that each fisherman should have received app. 10,000 Tenge.

When this was explained, and the fishermen had comprehended that they actually had a right to receive this money, we could give them the general explanation, we had prepared.

We made it clear that a future co-operation had to be based on agreements completely different from the ones that had been made with the leaderships. We introduced them to an entirely new Kazak law, adopted in July 1997. This law enables the establishing and registration of smaller co-operatives with no more than 15 members. Our suggestion was that the fishermen started founding co-operatives exclusively consisting in professional fishermen. They should be trained and have practised fishery, which would appear from the book, every fisherman possesses, and in which all data is printed. The individual co-operatives should draw up a project description stating their needs, strategies and an agreement with the villages where they and their families live. After that, the co-operatives could expect to reach independent agreements with the project, as to support and credits. From our side, we also informed about our plans concerning the structuring of the activity to buy, treat and sell the fish that the co-operatives catch.

The fishermen that had visited Denmark could inform their colleagues that we were working to further structures somewhat like known in Denmark; structures that ensured that the responsibility of catching and primary treatment belonged to the fishermen. Buying and transporting the fish to Aralsk, as well as further treatment and selling would be the task of the fishery industry. Agreements on price, seasons, amounts, including other species than flounder, should be organised through a "Fishermen's Common Council" and the fish treatment plant. Such a structure would ensure that support and credits would be to the benefit of the fishermen in the smaller and more transparent co-operatives. And it would ensure that the co-operatives could have their accounts settled immediately after landing the fish.

After the explanations, discussion, tea and food, the fishermen agreed completely that this had to be the strategy worth going for.

Re 2. The tables below show the development of catches in 1,000 kg. The figures should be taken with a grain of salt, since they don't agree completely with earlier information, but the tendency is the same and clear:

The fishermen informed us that they had a good fishery in early 1997 by Ysh-Schocke (which is nearer Aralsk than Tastubek). However, the fishery was interrupted when the dam broke down, and the water withdrew 300-400 m. After that it was necessary to move back to Tastubek. Private fishermen from Akesbe (app. 105 km west of Aralsk), who hadn't participated in 1996, told us that they had caught 15,000 kg of flounder using their own equipment. Furthermore, private fishermen from the village Gaas (app. 260 km west of Aralsk) told that they with old nets had caught 8,000 kg in the Big Aral.

The prices of the fish sold varied a lot. For instance, the Aralrybprom supposedly sold fish at more than 80 Tenge/kg. The Raim fishermen told that they had obtained 32 T/kg for fish sold to Leninsk at Bajkonur. A buyer from Leninsk said in a meeting in Raim that he was firmly convinced that the price of flounder could go up to 80-100 T/kg. The variation of prices must be seen in the light of the fact that payment is usually not performed in actual money, but in exchanges of articles, which means that both parties decide for themselves, what "price" they have paid or received.

Re 3. The changes in ownership at Aralrybprom, the conversion into a joint-stock company, had caused the dismissal of the general director, who had been replaced by the director of the major flour- and bread factory in town. The president of the joint-stock company lives in Almaty, and the valuable property of the joint-stock company in Aralsk also includes the bread factory and two smaller factories producing victuals. The dismissed general director did not have the confidence of the city administration (the mayor), but neither has the new ownership. The general comprehension of the situation in Aralsk was that the conversion hadn't caused significant changes. The reaction among "semi-leaders" depended on their "choices" and general situation, i.e. whether or not they had the right relationship with the new leadership, which included a number of factors, even family connections way back in the line of Aralrybprom leadership.

The smaller villages now hoped that the new joint-stock company could help them obtain the amounts due to them, for instance paid in means of production. The village Bugun for example had, according to the village mayor, outstanding debts with the Aralrybprom worth 6 million Tenge, because of missing payments for fish delivered.

Re 4. In the kolhozes, leaderships were intact and without obvious opposition. The fishermen weren't receiving their salory here either, but their reaction to this differed notably from the fishermen directly connected to the Aralrybprom. This must be explained by the fact that the values, the fish, is visibly beneficial to the village in general.

Re 5. Apparently, everybody knew about the project, and everybody had an opinion about it. On the train, going to Kzyl-Orda, people came to us to express their hopes for the future fishery for flounder in Aral. Flounder, i.e. flatfish, is called Kambala in Russian, but now many referred to the fish as "skrubbe" (Danish for flounder). People talked about the project in the street, it was discussed on TV and in newspapers. It is surprising that so many people know so much so fast, and the many details in the knowledge among people (someone knows someone who has a brother who has been fishing on that ground) shows that the project has not only been communicated through the media, but that the conversation is still alive and well in the Kazak society.

Re 6. The authorities in Aralsk support the project at 100 %, and in connection with the evaluation good relations to the oblast-leadership in Kzyl-Orda were established. Especially a seminar in Kzyl-Orda stands out in this respect, chaired by the oblast mayor, a powerful person controlling a region of the size of France. During the seminar the mayor encouraged/ordered that the local authorities supported the project. Subsequently, a meeting was held with the leadership of the juridical-economical department of the oblast administration, on which this department confirmed their supporting the future plans of the project. (The new, independent smaller co-operatives of max. 15 people, must apply for juridical licence in the oblast juridical administration). In a lengthy meeting with the leader of the UNDP-office in Kzyl-Orda, the project was also fully backed.

In Almaty we met the former vice minister of fishery, Mukhtar Tairov, who is now the president of the main union of fishery enterprises (former sovhozes) in Kazakstan. He told us about his hesitation as to conducting a production of flounder without the establishing of a company with neutral leadership (i.e. without the limitations imposed locally by families, tribes, clans etc.).

In a meeting with the TACIS head quarters and the leader of the total Tacis programme in Kazakstan, it was agreed that the office should be informed concretely about the project along the way. He then would take care of the deliverance of this information to the proper destination within Tacis.

The deputy chairman of the UNDP-Kazakstan and the responsible of the Aralsk region gave their consent to support the future work. It was agreed that an agreement of co-operation should be sketched to further the co-operation between the project and the UNDP offices in Aralsk, Kazalinsk and Kzyl-Orda.

With the purpose to strengthen the local work and to establish a more direct contact between Aralsk and Denmark, Jannat Makhambetova was employed from September, 1997 and till the end of the year. In Denmark, a working group has been created, within the Danish Society for a Living Sea. The working group is called ‘NGO Aral Sea Working Group Denmark’. In Kazakstan they have succeeded in forming 22 smaller fishery co-operatives, with understanding from the communities where the fishermen belong, and from the villages where they live. An NGO organisation has been established with the objective to manage the ongoing tasks connected to the project. This work include things like the public participation in and understanding of the project, local employment, and the economical responsibility for the project in Kazakstan.

Apart from continuing the project, the 1998-99 phase includes a more intense effort in trying to catch and sell the flounder; and a biologically controlled test fishing in Great Aral – both tasks are included to achieve more knowledge about the possibilities of the fishery in the area. There will also be a minor field study among the women formerly working in the fish industry to learn more about their willingness to return to wage labour in the fish industry.

In Denmark, an informational campaign with the title ’The Aral Sea and its Fishery’ will be implemented. This will start in 1998 in connection with a summit meeting between environmental ministers in Århus. Here a large plate exhibition, Kazakish jurtes, and a small exhibition of the fishery will be set up. Apart from the Danish participants, a small Kazakish delegation, with the burgomasters from Kzyl-Orda and from Aralsk as heads, will participate in the summit. Their main task will be to set the Aral Sea on the international agenda of environmental politics – to benefit the people who suffer from the catastrophe.

In the middle of 1999 a project document will be drawn up, and perhaps this will result in an enlargement of the project. The enlargement will have as its primary objective to strengthen the treatment and selling of fish, with the purpose to improve a monetary economy in the Aralsk region. This purpose will need a longer project period: 3-5 years, and the project will need considerable support from Western donors.

June, 1998