Azerbaijani authorities are testing water samples to determine why foam has appeared along parts of the country’s Caspian Sea coastline.
Inspectors from the State Service for Control over Water Use and Protection under the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency examined the area and sent samples to a laboratory, Vesti Baku reported. Officials said conclusions would be announced after the analysis is completed.
The presence of foam alone does not establish that pollution has occurred. Foam can result from natural processes as well as from contaminants.
Sturgeon Deaths Reported in Kazakhstan
The investigation comes amid separate environmental concerns elsewhere around the Caspian. Authorities in Kazakhstan’s Mangystau region found 173 dead sturgeon along approximately 15 kilometers of shoreline. The cause has not been established, and the condition of the carcasses complicated efforts to collect laboratory samples.
A television report also showed a dead Caspian seal filmed on Azerbaijan’s coast. No evidence was presented linking that case to the dead fish in Kazakhstan or the foam observed in Azerbaijani waters.
AZE.US previously reported on the seal and sturgeon discoveries.
Falling Sea Level Adds Pressure
The reports come as the Caspian Sea’s water level continues to decline, affecting coastal ecosystems, wildlife habitats and navigation.
Scientists link changes in the sea level to the balance between river inflow and evaporation, which is influenced by natural variability and climate change. There is currently no basis for attributing all the observed ecological events to a single cause.
Source: Vesti Baku. Watch the original report.