Ghizilagaj National Park Declared as a Hope Spot!

On 8 November 2019, the newly established Ghizilagaj National Park has been recognized as a Hope Spot - ecologically unique areas of the ocean designated for protection under a global conservation campaign Mission Blue. Hope spots are chosen for their contributions to biodiversity and the carbon sink, and carry the goal of raising global support for marine protected areas.

To date, a total of 76 specially protected marine areas from various parts of the world have been designated as Hope Spots. These special places are scientifically identified as critical to the health of the ocean.

Announcement of the first Hope Spot in the Caspian Sea means, that the information on the specially protected sea area in Gizilaghaj NP and the importance of its protection will be regularly highlighted on the world media.

The marine area of the national park is the first Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the entire Caspian Sea and it is crucial for saving many critically endangered fish in the wild.

Gizilaghaj National Park, encompassing Gizilaghaj State Nature Reserve and the Greater Gizilaghaj bay has been established by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in September of 2018. Spreading across the Kura river, the national park provides the spawning grounds for many anadromous fish species. Additionally, due to its importance of protecting migrant, swamp and wild birds, the area was declared a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 2001.

Read more here.