Degree of Master of

Socio-economic development: consideration of the main aspects

Nowadays, Aydar-Arnasay lakes represent not only a significant system in terms of commercial fishing, but also the system with a strategic importance for Navoiy and Jizzakh provinces as well as for Uzbekistan. This system of lakes performs significant socioeconomic functions for the population of the nearest residential areas. These lakes provide the population with employment, the fish industry, and places for recreation (Kurbanov 2008).

1. Fisheries: assessment of the AALS current trends

   1. Impact of the USSR disintegration on fisheries

It is well known from the literature review examined¹³ that after the dissolution of the USSR the situation in Uzbekistan the fish industry changed significantly. As was mentioned above, the government of Uzbekistan privatized all state-owned fish farms and fisheries enterprises, including farms located on Arnasay lakes and stopped their government financial support. As a result fish production dropped to one third and large-scale fishing in water reservoirs such as Aydar-Arnasay lakes system (AALS), Lake Sarykamysh, Charvak, Chimkurgan and several others was virtually stopped or significantly reduced (Thorpe and van Anrooy 2009).
By the end of the 1990s partial recovery of fisheries in the Aydar-Arnasay lake system started on account of private farmers began to be better acquainted with the new economy (Thorpe and van Anrooy 2009).

CEU eTD Collection
Figure 13 illustrates the comparison of amount of fish captured (tons) in the AALS and whole Uzbekistan during 1987-2005. Figure 13 clearly shows a sharp decline of fish production in these lakes as well as in Uzbekistan in the period of USSR collapse. In 1991, after disintegration of the USSR, 2430 tons of fish were produced from the lakes while in 1988 fish production had been 4616 tons. Then, starting from 1997, slow recovery of the fish industry can be observed in both these lakes and Uzbekistan. During 2003-2005, about 800 tons of fish was captured from these lakes.

¹³ See section 2.2.4

Figure 13. Time changes of amount of fish captured in the Aydar-Arnasay lakes and Uzbekistan in 1987-2005¹⁴

Figure 14 presents changes in carp catch as one of the most important captured species in the Aydar-Arnasay lakes system and Uzbekistan in 1987-2005. Similarly to Figure 13, from Figure 14 it can be distinctly noticed that carp catches sharply decreased in the period of the USSR collapse. In 1987 carp production in the Arnasay lakes made up 1868 tons and then decreased to 1083 tons in 1991.

CEU eTD Collection
The lowest carp catches were observed in 1997 totaling 402 tons. Later, starting in 1997 slow recovery of carp capture can be seen. During 2000-2005 carp captures were lower in comparison with the 1990s amounting to 230 tons on average (Karimov 2008). So low carp captures in 2000-2005 are related to lack of financial support of fisheries provided by government, lack of measures aimed at maintenance and development of the fish industry at the high level.

2008
¹⁴ The graph has been created by the author using data adopted from Ecological Herald of Uzbekistan,

Figure 14. Time changes of carp catch in the Aydar-Arnasay lakes and Uzbekistan in 1987-2005¹⁵

2.