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SECTION 5. SECTORAL DEVELOPMENT 5.1 Coastal area protection Enterprises and joint stock companies, exploiting oil and gas deposits and drilling oil and gas wells within the coastal area of the Caspian Sea, developed action plans, integrated programs on ecological and technical safety in connection with the flooding of oil production facilities, coordinated with regional directorates for environmental protection. According to these action plans, a certain work on construction and reconstruction of environmental facilities was carried out on enterprises of oil and gas complex.
5.2 Review of recreation and tourism Despite of the apparent monotony of steppe and deserted flat landscapes, characteristic for the most part of relevant territory, it has a certain potential for development of separate directions of tourism and recreation. First of all, and it is characteristic for all arid areas, the water spaces have special appeal - Ural river, east part of Volga Delta (within borders of Kazakhstan) to a lesser degree Emba river and, certainly, the Caspian sea. Ural river is used as for mass recreation to spend week-ends in summer time, and for such specific kinds of recreation as hunting and fishing, both summer and winter (ice fishing). There are both adult’s and children's resorts located on the river. The certain prospect for establishment of balneological institutions of have the lakes with stocks of medical dirty. The north Caspian coast, except for protected territories is also very conducive for the amateurs of hunting and fishing. The coast of the Caspian Sea within the Atyrau region practically is unsuitable for establishment of resort industry, construction of hotels, boarding houses in connection with lack of beaches and extremely extended (thousands of meters) shallow waters with depths up to one meter. This is not promoted by a rather severe climate of the north Caspian region. Another picture we can see within the Mangystau region, where a long warm period, with a velvet season of autumn months creates perfect conditions for recreation. To north and south from Aktau city, the coast was built up for tens kilometers by boarding houses and resorts enjoying wide popularity not only at the local population, but all over republic, notwithstanding the escarpment of these sites frequently forced to create artificial beaches. In total, 4 zones of rest are established on the Mangystau coast from the Tubkaragan peninsula up to the gulf:
These recreation zones formerly belonging to 27 departments, and now, mostly, privatized, are built up by objects of various levels of capital construction, comfort, accomplishment of general capacity about 4000 places. Children’s camps of capacity for 150 places work on three recreation bases in summer time (Fort-Shevchenko city, Fetisovo settl., Kuryk settl.). However, even after the rise of sea level, the sandy beaches were preserved, which allowed planning of the establishment of recreational complexes of national importance in the southern part of the Mangystau region (Fetisovo settl.). The deposits of mineral waters (Shevchenkovskoe, Eralievskoe and Dubovski Garden) have been discovered in the Mangystau region, which is the basis of resorts function. Besides 20 perspective mineral water sources have been discovered. The deposit of medicinal mud- "Buzachi" in the Mangystau region is in use, and previously two deposits of mud in the Atyrau region (the Northern and Southern Karabotan) have been evaluated. From the points of active tourism (automobile or exotic - on horses or camels), deepest waterless hollows (Karagie – 132 ? below sea level etc.), and picturesque chinki (abrupt step ledges) of the Usturt plateau are of great interest.
5.3 Fishing Fishery within the Kazakhstan Caspian sector is concentrated in the area of Ural and Kygach rivers, near-mouth zones and the north Caspian Sea. The water area of the Northern Caspian, except for littoral territories, is closed for fishery owing to its reservation. The enterprises of all patterns of ownership are engaged in fishery: joint stock, cooperative, private. In the Atyrau region, their number reaches 120-140 units. The largest are: "Atyraubalyk" JSC, "Shortambai" JSC and cooperative societies incorporated under the name of "Rybaksouz", providing more than 95 % trade catches within the region. Other fish suppliers (80-100 units), consisting of 3-10 fishermen provide 5-10 % of total catch. The total number of the fishermen is about 1,0 thousand in the region. The chief fish provider in the Mangystau region is "Kazakhrybflot", engaged, mostly, in sprat fishery in Middle and Southern Caspian, and also in production of sturgeon fish and Caspian seal in Northern Caspian. Minor fish providers (96 brigades) conduct coastal fishing in limited scale (0,5 % of total catch in the Mangystau region). The total number of people, engaged in fishery and fish processing, is about 500 men. The fishing and secondary fleet of the Ural-Caspian basin totals about 1300 units of sea, mixed (river - sea) and river vessels by the general tonnage about 5 ???.?. The tonnage marine fleet in amount of 39 units is based, basically, in Bautino settlement. The basic part of trade and secondary fleet consists of vessels of small size: launches, boats, barges, boats with pendant motors. The available park of vessels especially " large-capacity" and average sea ones is used only on 40-50% of the time, as their other part demands overhaul or is subject to ending of operation. As a whole, 320-340 th. tons of fish (without the account of the share of Islamic Republic of Iran) was extracted in the Caspian Sea in 1990s, at maximal catches of 600 th. tons for all the history of fishery. The basic trade objects - sprat (50-52 % of total catches) and sturgeon (30-32 %). The share of Kazakhstan in general catches makes about 8-10 % for last years i.e. 25-27 thousand tons, at maximal catches in 1935 - 77 th. tons. Sprat is in the first in the Kazakhstan fishery. At development stage of sprat fishery, its share in catches made no more than 2-3 % (1935-1950). At 1960s-80s sprat catches have increased till 25-40 th. tons (60-80 % of total catches). Sprat catches are steadily reducing for 1990s, and make 7-10 th. tons on average. Sturgeon catches changed from 0,1 th. tons (1950) till 8,2 th. tons (1975) for different years. Then significant decrease of stocks and catches followed. |In the last few years no more than 0,4-0,5 th. tons. The sudden decrease of sturgeon production after 1975 was caused by regulated run-off of Volga River, at which the most productive hatchery places were cut off. Other trade species show to some extent the same dynamics of catches. At obvious decrease of fish catches in the Caspian Sea, they do not correspond to available stocks. Sprat fishery is almost is neglected for the economic reasons. The basic efforts of fish suppliers are directed on catches of especially valuable fish species (sturgeon), having commercial value, and also large sturgeon (zander, sazan). Small sturgeon are not popular in fishery. The stocks of sea fish species (sprat, herring, grey mullet) and seal have essentially increased in connection with regular default of limit last years. The increase of their production the coming years is possible under condition of improvement of equipment of fishing organizations. The poaching has increased on these fish species and their actual catches do not correspond to the data of trade statistics. In the last few years fishing sector is in a critical condition. Despite of some reduction of fish stocks in the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea, the catch size, in the large degree, is determined by the economic reasons. Rise in price of energy resources, GAM, fishing fleet, repair of vessels, reticulate materials, production equipment for processing raw materials and its transportation, in many cases makes fishery unprofitable or for little profit. Especially strongly it was reflected on sprat fleet. More than 70 % fishing vessels belonging to "Kazakhpybholodflot" need overhaul, hundreds navigators, fishermen, fish-processing people have remained without work and means to existence. The concealment of information of catch take place, especially on valuable fish species, the scales of poaching grow with each year. In conditions of mass unemployment for many inhabitants of the Atrau and Mangystau regions the poaching is a single means of existence. The processing base in the Caspian region is concentrated in joint-stock company "Atyrau balyk", joint-stock company "Shartambai" and joint-stock company "Rybholodflot", which produces frozen fish and caviar, smoked-dried fish, canned food and marinades, some unfinished. Processing capacities of these enterprises are about 250 tons/day. Now these capacities are used in incomplete measure because of the need for raw material, obsolete process equipment, absence of components. In particular, the canning shop by capacity of 2,5 million of nominal cans per year stands idle in joint-stock company " Kazakhpybholodflot ". The majority of trade fish species belongs to semi-migratory and migratory species, spawning of which occurs in the rivers and desalinated sites of the sea contiguous to them. Hatchery ponds of all Caspian fish including typically sea groups (herrings, mullets) are located practically in Northern and Middle Caspian. The basic sites of sturgeon fish reproduction (sazan, bream, vobla, catfish, some of a herring and sprat) are concentrated in the coastal zone of northwest and northeast part of the Kazakhstan Caspian sector from mouth part of Volga river up to the similar site of Emba river. The most part of sprat and grey mullet is spawning in Middle and partially in Northern Caspian. After regulating of Volga River, scales of natural reproduction of many fish (especially sturgeon) were considerably reduced. Thirteen fish hatcheries and fish-breeding facilities, one of which, Kupilkinski was constructed on the Kazakhstan territory for artificial reproduction of sturgeon and other trade species in the Caspian basin. In the period of 1986-1994, about 90-100 mln. young sturgeon species, 18 mln. of salmon and 3,1 mlrd. of semi-migratory fish, at the rather modest contribution of Kazakhstan - 0,65 mln. of young sturgeon fish on average was annually released into the Caspian Sea. On accounts of the Russian experts, from 27 up to 56 % of trade sturgeon stocks – white sturgeon , stellate sturgeon, sturgeon are formed at the expense of artificial reproduction. In the coming years the role of Republic of Kazakhstan in reproduction of sturgeon species will increase. At financial support of "Kazakhstancaspianshelf" in 1997 a sturgeon hatchery located on ?????? sleeve of Ural river was constructed and put into operation. Capacity of the hatchery for release of young fish is 3,0 mln. per year, including: white sturgeon - 600 thousand, sturgeon - 600 thousand and stellate sturgeon - 1800 thousand. The Uralo-Atyrau fish hatchery by capacity 3060 thousand young sturgeon species per year: white sturgeon - 87 thousand, sturgeon - 946, stellate sturgeon - 2027 thousand of fish is projected, but is being constructed very slowly. It is rather difficult to define terms of its commissioning. The reproduction of semi-migratory and migratory species in the Caspian region of Republic of Kazakhstan is carried out now only by natural processes and depends on quantity of operating manufacturers and hydrological conditions.
5.4. Forestry The quantity of forest (the area of forest in % of total territory) in the Mangystau region makes up less than 0,5 %, that in 10 times is lower, than the average in Kazakhstan. According to the zoning of woods, the regional territory is divided into the Usturt dendrological area, saxaul area on sandy deserts and takyrs. According to 01.07.1998 data of the Mangystau Regional Directorate o Forestry, Fishery and Hunting the total area of the state forest fund in the Beineu region (Northern Usturt) makes 242361 hectares, including 94541 hectares refer to pastures with the established grazing standards. forest cover - basically saxaul, other bushes are also available. The greatest number of species grows in Usturt (53) and in the Mangystau region (50?????). 33 species grows in southern Usturt, and in Buzachi - only 24. Unfavorable conditions for forest is determined both climatic, and soil characteristics. The territory covered by woods makes only 14400 hectares in the Atyrau region. It is basically flood-lands and tugai woods growing by narrow strips along rivers.
5.5 Energy and Transportation The basic source of power supply of the Atyrau and Mangystau region is the Atyrau HEC by capacity of 239 megawatt, the Kulsarynsk HEC and the Mangyshlak nuclear power complex by total power capacity of about 1200 megawatt, in the structure of BN-350 reactor and HEC (gas- operated). The small heat power installations are available as well in oil fields and in some localities. The transfer of the electric power from the basic sources is carried out on high-voltage lines of electrotransfers. From the Atyrau HEC to the north, to Uralsk, there are lines on 110 and 220 kilovolt, to the west, to Martyshy oil fields – 110 kilovolt and to the east - to Dossor, Makat and with turn to the south to Tengyz and Prorva oil fields. Through Kulsary-Beineu-Uzen this system connect with the Mangyshlak atomic energetic complex, from which there are also lines on 110 and 220 kilovolt to Zhetybai and Uzen. In Uzen, a line on 110 kilovolt from Turkmenbashi is connected to power system of the Kazakhstan Caspian sector. The transport flows of the Caspian region are provided with surface, air and water transport. Automobile, railway transportation and pipelines provide the surface transportation. The important role in spatial organization of territory belongs to railway and automobile highways Astrakhan - Atyrau and railway highway Atyrau - Makat - Kandagach in the Atyrau region. The important role belongs to railroad Makat – Beineu - Kungrad, Makat - Beineu – Mangyshlak in the Mangystau region. Single-track railroad, a basic kind of operation - diesel locomotive. The development the Tengiz deposit has induced the construction of the Kulsary- Tengiz railway. The basic volume of freight and public transportation is railway. The condition of highways in the region, in a certain degree, is characterized by parameters given in the scheme of a regional lay-out of the area (????????????, 1992) – a total extent of 4.9 thousand km, 1.9 thousand km of them - with an adequate covering. The density of roads with a firm covering in the Atyrau region makes 0.019 km/??2, and in the Mangystau region - 0.011??/??2, that in 1.6 and 2.7 times on average are lower of national parameters accordingly. The basic flows of air transportation are based on the airports in Atyrau and Aktau. Formerly, local airports and landing strips for small aircraft were available at all regional centers and many localities. But now they are not practically involved. The organization of helicopter landing platforms is possible almost everywhere. The existing regional network of roads demands reconstruction. It is essentially necessary to improve the condition of the airport in Atyrau and to reconstruct a take-off and landing strip in Bautino.
5.6 Harbors Water transport is extremely represented now by sea transportation, as navigation on Ural river is prohibited to prevent disturbing of sturgeon species spawning. The seaports, available at the coast, in Atyrau, Bautino and Aktau provide transport connections practically with all foreign ports of the Caspian coast. At the same time, at present and in the long term, the role assigned to each of the ports stated above is different. The port in Atyrau is not practically a sea port, but a river port, as it is removed from the sea on significant distance and the pass of vessels even with average draught is possible only on the specially channel demanding constant maintenance, which has not been carried out for last years. Real capacities of the port are directed now on service of coastal transportation and underwater development of rakusha for agricultural needs. The separate berths are available for fishing fleet. The port in Bautino, being now the base of fishing fleet focused on fishing in Middle and Southern Caspian. It is planned as the basic base of offshore oil activities in the long term, that will require its radical reconstruction. The basic sea gate of Kazakhstan in the Caspian Sea is, and is planned for the future, the port in Aktau city. The port was built in 1963. The basic industrial activity is trans-shipment of cargoes of the following kinds: metal products, saw-timbers, bulk cargoes, motor vehicle, and as well as petroleum loading and unloading. 11 berths are situated on the port territory, four of them are bulk-oil. There is a port fleet represented by four vessels: " Aktau "PTR-300, used for shipping; "Rainbow" SLV - for reception from vessels and delivery of subshale waste waters, garbage of all kinds on the coast; tow-tractor "Gousan-5" for mooring of vessels; oil-skimmer "MNMS-49". The port has 4 sidings of approach lines. The arrival of vessels to the port has made 313 units for 1997. Dry-cargo: the Russian Federation - 14; Republic of Azerbaijan - 45; Islamic Republic of Iran - 34. Bulk-oil: the Russian Federation - 20, Republic of Azerbaijan - 137. Carrying capacity of co vessels: dry-cargo - from 1000 up to 5500 tons (at draught up to 4.6 m); bulk-oil - from 4600 up to 7000 tons (at draught 5.3 m). Volume of trans-shipping works has made 282.3 thousand tons for 1997. Petroleum loading and unloading has made 867,9 thousand tons, including import -5.6 thousand tons. According to the forecast, the turnover of port goods should increase in 1998-2008 for petroleum from 1500 thousand tons up to 7000 thousand tons, for dry cargoes from 300 thousand tons up to 1500 thousand tons, for containers from 0.4 thousand units up to 2.5 thousand units. The cargoes, processed in the port, arrive and leave by railway and sea. Passenger traffic has finished and won’t be assumed after port reconstruction. The ferry berth, used formerly for passenger and cargoes traffic, demands, after destructive impact of rising of the Caspian sea level, reconstruction works. One of the most advanced systems in the region is the pipeline transportation system represented by oil-, gas-, product lines and water lines. The first line of an oil pipeline in Kazakhstan was constructed before the Soviet authority and connected oil fields in Dossor area to the Caspian coast. In 1934, the oil pipeline, connected deposits of Western Kazakhstan with oil bases in Orsk city (Russia), was put in operation. In 1966, the construction of an oil pipeline (530mm) from Uzen and Zhetybai deposits to the Caspian coast is completed in Aktau., the Uzen petroleum was sent to the oil refining plant in Atyrau in 1969, and, the line (1020??) of the Uzen - Atyrau -Samara oil pipeline was completely involved in 1970. It has allowed pumping the Kazakhstan petroleum not only to the Russian oil refining plants, but also to the basic exporting directions in foreign countries. In 1992, the construction of the 1-st turn of the Tengiz-Astrakhan-Grozny oil pipeline (1020mm) was completed. Except for above-mentioned, the Prorva-Kulsary (1986, 273 mm) and Kalamkas-Karazhanbas-Aktau (year of input 1979, 530 mm) regional oil pipelines were involved. The oil pipe-line transportation development strategy in the republic consists of the construction of new oil pipelines should ensure stability and sufficiency of deliveries to its own oil-refining plants, as well as safe delivery of the Kazakhstan petroleum to the external markets. The first export pipeline, which should give an output on the world market of the Tengiz large petroleum and, possibly the first sets of petroleum of the Caspian shelf, is the Atyrau -Novorossisk oil pipeline. The construction of which should be carried out within the framework of international Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). The additional routes of export oil pipelines are simultaneously considered, the initial study, estimated both technically and economically, at the same time being the subject of complex political negotiation. The prospective routes can conditionally be divided into eastern, western and southern directions. To the east, China, provides, first of all, transportation of the Aktyubinsk petroleum deposits, and further the Caspian ones. The western routes provide an exit to the Black and Mediterranean seas through the territory of Azerbaijan and Georgia, and in the southwest variant - through Turkey directly to the Mediterranean Sea. The southern variants provide an opportunity of an exit through Turkmenistan and Iran to the Persian gulf, or through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Arabian sea. It is necessary to note, that the use of both western and southern variants must consider an opportunity of oil pipeline construction connecting deposits of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, on the bed of a central, the deepest part of the Caspian sea. Now petroleum transportation through the Caspian Sea is carried out using oil-tankers. Experience, available in Kazakhstan, by overseas transport (till 1993 was about 3 mln. tons of petroleum were delivered in Volgograd, Baku, Makhachkala and Krasnovodsk - nowadays Turkmenbashi) is used for petroleum transportation through port Aktau to the Iranian Caspian coast (planned volumes up to 2 mln. tons per year). Thus, the appropriate volumes of the Iranian petroleum by principle of replacement will be exported from bulk-oil terminals at the coast of the Persian gulf. In this connection, the reconstruction of the Aktau seaport is provided. Gas pipeline system on the territory of areas are represented by transit sites of the Central Asia-Centre gas pipeline (constructed in 1969-88, five lines by diameter of 1020, 1220, 1420 mm) and Okarem (Turkmenbashi) - Beineu (1967, 1220mm). they are united in Beineu (the Mangystau region). The Makat - Atyrau –Northern Caucasus line (1987?, 1420 mm) departs from the Central Asia-Centre gas pipeline in Makat (the Atyrau region). There is also the Uzen-Zhetybai- Aktau gas pipeline (1020 mm). An operating and developing system of water lines, fed by surface waters of Volga, Ural and Amu Darya rivers, plays an extreme important role for normal activity and development of industrial production in practically waterless territories of northeast and east Kazakhstan Caspian regions. The Atyrau -Isatai water line (in the west), the Novobagatinsk waterpipe group, and the Atyrau -Dossor-Koschagyl-Kulsary- Tengyz- Sarakamys water line feed from the water scoop on the Ural River. The Kungrad-Makat water line, feeding from Amu Darya River flows into Kulsary as well. The water to oil wells for industrial waters was supplied also by Volga water on the former line of the Uzen-Samara oil pipeline, converted into a water line of the Samara-Uzen technical water, where basic consumers are the Mangyshlak oil fields. A line to the Tengyz and Prorva group of deposits departs from this water line.
5.7 Industry The industry is leader in the economy of the region. The specialization of leading branches is characterized by prevalence of fuel (oil-extracting, oil refining), chemical and fish production. The Atyrau region is the oldest oil-extracting area of Kazakhstan, where the production is conducted since 1898. 50.9 % of extracted oil stocks of the republican stocks, 10 % - gas, 4.1 % - condensate is concentrated on its territory. 79 hydrocarbon deposits, with total extracted oil stocks of 1529081 thousand tons, gas - 198733 mln. m3 , condensate - 29240 thousand tons have been explored in the region. Of those, 38 deposits are developed, 6 deposits are prepared for development, exploring is conducted on 7 deposits and 25 deposits are conserved. Besides, forecasting oil resources in the volume of 2445 mln. tons, gas – 880 mlrd. m3 , condensate – 162 mln. tons were explored in the region. The largest deposits of the Atyrau region are the Tengyz deposit with extractable oil stocks of 1289513 th. tons, Korolevskoe - 90098 th. tons, Kenbai – 31143 th. tons and the Imashevskoe gas-condensate deposit, which stocks make: condensate – 27663 th. tons, gas – 172144 mln. m3 . All of them are located in the coastal zone with the exception of Kenbai. In the past, hydrocarbon production was conducted basically in above-salt deposits of Southern Emba and the Ural-Volga interfluvial, then now the subsalt Tengyz deposit has been explored and in the process of development and Korolevskoe in the process of preparation. It is possible to expect the discovery of new subsalt deposits in the southeast of the Caspian hollow, as well as to the northwest from known deposits of the Ural-Volga interfluvial. The Mangystau region also significant in distribution of mineral raw materials in Kazakhstan. 23.4% of extracted oil stocks, 8% - natural gas, 100% - balance reserves of rare minerals, 3.2% - uranium, 90.5% - cut stone of the national total are concentrated in this territory. 69 hydrocarbon deposits are explored on the territory of the region with total extractable oil stocks - 702542 thousand tons, gas - 157730 mln. m3, condensate - 4.7 mln. tons, 27 deposits of them are in the process of development. For years, 426771 thousand tons of petroleum is extracted in the region, that makes 73 % of all extracted petroleum since the formation of oil-extracting branch in republic. Last years the petroleum production has fallen in the region, that is connected basically to reduction of petroleum production on the Uzen deposit, where only half of extracted stocks have been extracted since the beginning of development. The residual stocks of the deposit make 207227 thousand tons. However it is necessary to note, that percent of hard-extractable stocks is still growing, that demands an application of modern advanced technologies are under development. A number of economic complexes, different in size, were established directly on the coast. Ganyushinski complex, the Western one, represents a system of settlements and Akkol and Shortanbai industrial communities. A significant part of fishing bases of the region, that are concentrated here, united fishing cooperative societies of the Kurmangazyn region and Shortanbai fish-factory. It is necessary to note, that in the period of sea level rise, the efficiency of fishery which is mainly coastal in nature, has sharply decreased, in particular, that the objects, which have gone under water, facilities, various subjects prevent installation of networks, and vessels suitable for the outlet to the sea, are absent. The above-mentioned group of small above-salt hydrocarbon deposits (Imashevskoe, Martyshi, Novobogatynskoe etc.) is located here. Atyrau City, Balyki, Zhumysker settlements and all nearby localities enter the Atyrau complex. 62.5 % of industrial enterprises of the Atyrau region is concentrated on the territory of this complex. The largest objects are the oil refining factory, chemical and docks, Atyrau HES, integrated house-building factories, road-building material factories, dairy factory, meat-packing plant, fish cannery, bread-baking plant, airport, railway station and others. fishing cooperatives, engaged in fishery in the Ural delta enter the Atyrau complex. The Dossor-Makat group of above-salt deposits is located in the west from the Atyrau complex. The Kulsarinsk complex is based on the whole group of oil-extracting enterprises, "Tengyzshevrooil" Ltd., a leader, includes a developing complex on oil preparation and gas-transferring factory. The Prorva oil fields, formerly one of the largest, are located here too. The specific oil-extracting industry is inherent to the Buzachinsk complex, located on the same peninsula in northern part of the Mangystau region. About 40 % of regional oil is produced by Karazhanbas and Kalamkas oil-fields. Fort-Shevchenko City, Bautino and Atash settlements enter into the Fort-Shevchenko complex located in the south. The basic enterprise of the complex is "Kazakhrybflot" joint-stock company located in Bautino Bay. Besides, the complex includes some enterprises of building materials, food, and light-industry. In the long term, this complex, most likely, should become a coastal base for offshore oil activities in the northern part of the Kazakhstan Caspian sector. The Aktau complex is, undoubtedly, the most integrated industrially. As one of the large uranium-mining and processing centres of the Soviet Union, it has included such powerful enterprises as the Mangyshlak nuclear energy plant and the Kaskor state association, represented by a system of mining and processing enterprises distributing more than 100 kinds of production. The uranium concentrate, scandium oxide and fluoride, rare-earth concentrates were produced, the nitric -mineral fertilizers production factory the largest one operated in the republic in the processing of uranic-phosphate ores. The complex structure included machine-building factories focused on agricultural services. The Aktau plastic factory was one of few manufacturers of polystyrene plastic, foam polysterene of all kinds, production of which met complete needs of housing and civil construction in Kazakhstan. Unfortunately, now basic productions of the complex face serious difficulties. In connection with lack of marketing outlets and unprofitable production, the Decision of the Government of Republic of Kazakhstan on uranium mine conservation is accepted on February 1998. The plastic factory stands idle because of sporadic gas delivery from old oil fields in the south (Uzen and Zhetybai groups) and lack of ethane pipelines in the north, from Tengyz, Prorva and other deposits. The basic results of industrial work for 1997 are characterized by following parameters according to the collection "Socio-economic situation of Republic of Kazakhstan " (Committee on Statistics and Analysis, January - December 1997). The petroleum production in the Atyrau region has made (including gas condensate) 9.7 mln. tons (42 % of republican ones), and in the Mangystau region - 8.5 mln. tons (36 % of republican ones). The gain of production achieves in both regions in comparison with 1996 – in 1.3 times in the Atyrau region, in 3.5 % in the Mangystau region. Natural gas 3.3 mlrd. m3 were extracted in the Atyrau region and 1.9 mlrd. m3 - in the Mangystau region. The production of primary petroleum processing has made 4.1 mln. tons in the Atyrau region, production of mineral fertilizers has made (in terms of 100 % of nutritious substances) 101.3 thousand tons in the Mangystau region. Fish catches and production of other sea products are equal to 18.3 thousand tons in the Atyrau region, 8.8 thousand tons - in the Mangystau region.
5.8 Agriculture The agriculture of the Caspian sector is underdeveloped and is based basically, on nomadic (remote pasture) animal breeding, mainly on poor deserted pastures. Sheep breeding for meat and Astrakhan wool purpose, camel breeding and herd horse-breeding are also developed as the basis of animal breeding. There are (01.01.98) 91.7 th. head of cattle in the Atyrau region, 5.1 th. - in the Mangystau region, accordingly, sheep - 396 and 300 thousand, horses - 39.5 and 25.4 thousand, camels - 20.1 and 24.7 thousand. At the same time, grain production has made only 10.4 th. tons in the Atyrau region, and in the Mangystau region it is absent. The change of the Caspian Sea regime for last decades has had an essential negative influence on structure and constitution of soil and vegetative cover. Thus, a significant part of natural fodder lands has left from mowing-pasture turnover, having aggravated by intense conditions in fodder production of the region. 1080,6 th. hectares (671,9 thousand hectares of them are the most productive agricultural lands) have appeared in flooding zone for the period of 1978-1996. Thus, the damage to agricultural manufacture of region has made 73 315,4 mln. tenge. Besides, about 800 thousand hectares of natural fodder lands are not used annually as a result of tide phenomena, characteristic for the Caspian Sea, and demand emergency measures on their protection. Most suffering from flooding and underflooding are Kurmangazy, Balykshi, Isatai areas of the Atyrau region, resulted in more than 70 % of agricultural manufacture losses. On the whole, in coastal areas there is an unsatisfactory situation with a fodder base that causes a necessity for purchase of rough forages and use of neighboring territories for pasturing cattle. The flooding of coastal territory having arable land in flood-lands of Volga and Ural Rivers, will result in losses of agricultural production being scarce for the given region (vegetables, potato). The objects of the agroindustrial complex (AIC) are located basically, on the territory of the village localities and the questions of their maintenance or transfer to new areas will be solved simultaneously with the localities, in which they are located. Mass AIC objects in flooding zone are cattle winterings, which amount up to the mark - 25 m, makes by different estimations from 115 up to l75 places. Their functioning becomes impossible and the quantity is constantly reducing with the loss of forages of the flooded "reed belt" along the sea. A great loss to agricultural manufacture from flooding and underflooding is imposed on destructive technogenic measures connected with development of new deposits, that, at the end, can result in significant reduction of sheep, horses and camels head because of reduction of pastures, and in a number of cases to termination of farmer activity and partial economies. Therefore problems of the further development of deposits should be considered in connection with interests of agricultural manufacture and survival of the inhabitants of the region. For the period of 1980-1995, a significant increase in salinity of soil cover, formation of seaside and weed saline lands, increase of solonetz and solonetzic soil areas is marked. The Caspian region is one of most unproductive in Kazakhstan for natural fodder lands, where about 77 % (7,9 mln. hectares) of haymakings and pastures of the Atyrau region have attributes of anthropogenic influence - a poor floristic structure, various degree of compactness (49 %), contamination poorly eatable (35 %), non-eatable (1, ? of %) and poisonous plants (1,1 %). A great degree of degradation of pasturable vegetation in the Atyrau region is marked on the area of 4,7 mln. hectares (48 %), average - on 1,2 mln. hectares (12 %), weak - on 1,9 mln. hectares (20 %). Sandy pastures of the Volga-Ural sand (Kurmangazy and Isatai areas), and meadows of the valley of Ural River and Volga delta are the most degraded. The area of meadow grass on the coast decreased 3 fold, area of reeds - in 14 times, the decrease of fodder lands and forage productivity occurs on the whole area. The average productivity of pastures makes 2.8 centner/hectar of dry weight (1,4 centner/hectar of fodder units), haymakings - 14,3 centner/hectar of dry weight (6,1 centner/hectar of fodder units). It seriously undermines a fodder base of traditional branches of animal breeding (especially sheep breeding and horse-breeding) and can have serious social consequences for the population. Now forage of the pastures of the region makes 28,6 mln. centners of dry weight or 14,4 mln. centner of fodder units, forage of haymakings - 3,3 mln. centner of dry weight or 1,4 mln. centner of fodder units. The losses of forage of the pastures of flooding zone by the Caspian Sea within the Atyrau region have made 1,6 mln. centners of dry weight, 0,8 mln. centners of fodder units (on 6 %) before flooding of lands; on haymakings - 1,7 mln. centners of fodder units (on 19,7 %). Subsequently, problems of reorganization of a local irrigation network with introduction of progressive irrigation systems for the purpose of establishment on this basis a modern base of vegetable-growing and diary cattle breeding for supply of increasing urban population in connection with intensive hydrocarbon production are of great importance in the Caspian region. For the purposes of improvement of ecological situation and land resources use and protection of the region and in use of the decision of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan of 28.02.1996, ? 255 " On the implementation of actions on the protection of localities and economic structure of these regions”, in which measures on protection of land underflooding and organization of land monitoring are determined. However, significant financial and material resources are necessary annually for their practical realization which are scarce in the republican and local budgets. |
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