Ashgabat hosted a regular meeting of authorized representatives of the Caspian states, which was attended by the heads and leading specialists of the ministries and departments of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan. The main topic of the agenda of the meeting, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, State Committee for Fisheries and the State Enterprise for the Caspian Sea under the President of Turkmenistan, is approval of the draft Protocol on cooperation in the fight against illegal exploitation of biological resources (poaching) on ​​the Caspian Sea. The document designed by the Turkmen side is intended to supplement the agreement on security cooperation in the Caspian Sea, signed at the III Summit of Heads of Caspian littoral states, held in 2010 in Baku (Azerbaijan). Having entered into force in 2014, this agreement creates a legal framework for cooperation among the competent authorities of the parties in areas such as the fight against terrorism, organized crime, illegal arms trafficking, drugs, smuggling, human trafficking and illegal migration, ensuring the safety of maritime navigation, etc. It also provides for the exchange of information and experience, meetings, consultations and other events, as well as the conclusion of the relevant protocols of interdepartmental character. During the meeting, each party presented its proposals, all of which aimed at solving one of the most urgent matters of environmental sector. Particular attention was paid to the preservation and reproduction of marine fish resources, and the regulation of fishing activities in the waters of the sea. The participants called for the adoption of a set of joint measures aimed at the preservation and enhancement of the natural biodiversity of the Caspian Sea. The urgent tasks included the implementation of systematic monitoring of the state of biological resources and the marine environment of the unique reservoir. It is also planned to discuss the issues relating to rules of procedure of the Commission for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological resources and the management of their joint reserves established in accordance with the Agreement on the conservation and rational use of the Caspian Sea water resources. The Agreement was signed at the Fourth Summit of Heads of Caspian littoral states held in September 2014 in Astrakhan (Russian Federation). Tomorrow the regional meeting will continue its work.