Kyrgyzstan has over 900 mountain lakes and in most of them the native fish species are seriously threatened by alien species and over fishing. The primary root causes to the predicted loss of endemic species and the associated threat of extinction are:  (i) a massive increase in unregulated fishing over recent years; (ii) a virtual cessation of the artificial restocking of the lake with juveniles of the 4 commercially endemic species; and (iii) the introduction of alien predatory species that are currently not subject to any control or eradication activities.

The Government of Kyrgyzstan is trying to provide a long-term prospect in promoting the sustainable development of national resources, and fisheries development in particular. However, a number of barriers constrain the attention that can be paid to integrating the requirements for endemic fish conservation into the fishery management regime. The project strategy is to address the overall concerns relating to fisheries management in Kyrgyzstan by demonstrating a new fishery management regime within Lake Issyk Kul as it relates to: (i) the conservation of globally significant biodiversity (endemic fish species); and (ii) within the context of socio-economic concerns, especially poverty and livelihoods. One of the key elements of the project is the Biodiversity Friendly Fisheries Management Regime (BDFMR) which will be a package of national laws, by-laws and regulations developed and enforced with the objective of stabilizing the endemic fish species in the lake within the framework of a viable, sustainable and enforceable commercial fishery. Stabilization will be achieved through limiting current fishing, controlling the size of introduced species, as well as restocking native species. The project will create the mechanism to ensure that the lessons learned in this project will be captured and replicated initially to other large lakes in Kyrgyzstan with high economic values for fisheries.

Delivery of the project in 2008 - $144,000; 2009 - $284,000; 2010 - $288,000;