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The collapse of the USSR: the AALS fisheries fate

After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the Central Asian system of water management in the Aral Sea Basin became fragmented because each country obtained full independence. Disintegration of the USSR led to the conditions towards the free market economy and government of Uzbekistan decided to privatize the fisheries. Starting in 1994, it discontinued its financing. Fishermen working on the Aydar-Arnasay lakes found themselves in the new unfamiliar conditions of a market economy (Kamilov and Urchinov 1995).

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The overall economic crisis and the loss of economic links with producers of fish equipment in the former USSR also adversely affected fisheries. Kamilov and Urchinov address the concerns about deterioration of the fish equipment over the last ten years. The number of fishing boats, set nets and seines dropped (Kamilov and Urchinov 1995). In the 1990s there were only 20 fishing boats with 130 horsepower engines, 40 boats with 20 to 60 horsepower engines, and 250 other types of motorized boats. All fishery companies together had only 5 000 gillnets and 36 beach seines, which are now worn out (FAO 2004).
To summarize, it should be emphasized that 1970-1980 was a successful period of time for Aydar-Arnasay lake system in terms of fisheries development. This period was characterized by well-structured management of the fish industry and close cooperation between countries. Later, after 1991 when the USSR was disintegrated, the situation in the
fish industry completely altered. The considerable decrease of fish production and destruction of the whole fish management system and in these lakes was observing.

5. Main conclusions

Having analyzed the relevant literature about the Aydar-Arnasay lakes system and research conducted on these lakes, the following conclusions were combined by the author:

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  Ineffective use of water resources and obsolete conditions of the irrigation channels and collector-drainage network resulted in huge water losses and the gradual shrinking of the Aral Sea. Besides, after the collapse of the USSR a poor condition of the collector-drainage network was one of the factors which led to formation of the new artificial system in Central Asia such as the Aydar-Arnasay lakes in Uzbekistan;
  
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  Disintegration of the USSR has completely changed a geopolitical situation and caused the formation independent republics with own insights in terms of water and energy management. Therefore, transition of the Toktogul reservoir in Kyrgyzstan to power-focused regime has brought about the huge water discharges during the winter time and accumulation of water in Chardara reservoir with subsequent release to the Aydar-Arnasay system;
  
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  The main focus of the investigations conducted on the Aydar-Arnasay system in the 1970s and the 1980s was the research of the hydrological conditions, i.e. thermal regime, seasonal and diurnal water temperature fluctuations, and mineralization;
  
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  Other environmental topics of scientific concern such as soil, landscape, and biodiversity research have not been investigated in the 1970s and the 1980s;
  
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  Increase of mineralization in these lakes has been defined as one of the severe problems in the 1980s as well as in recent years;
  
• 
  According to the microbiological tests, the AALS water quality is poor and this water can be used neither for irrigation nor drinking purposes;
  
• 
  1970-1980 was a prosperous period of time for the Aydar-Arnasay lakes in terms of fisheries development and well-organized management and cooperation between All- union countries while after the collapse of the USSR the fish industry sank into degradation.
  

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