How to Manage River Resources Sustainably
Representatives of Silver Taiga Foundation and Udora region of Komi agree that they should cooperate with the Arkhangelsk oblast of Russia to realize Model River Project properly. The aim of the Project is to show how to manage fish resources sustainably by the example of the Mizen River.
Silver Taiga Foundation started the cooperation with the Arkhangelsk oblast of Russia more than ten years ago under Komi Model Forest Project. This cooperation has been continued under other projects of the Foundation. This year, for example, the participants of the Forest Village Project have attended the conference held in the Arkhangelsk oblast dealing with the development of public self-government.
Another visit to the Arkhangelsk oblast of Russia has been recently done by a group from Komi represented by Mikhail Vorsin – Deputy Head of Udora region of Komi, Yury Pautov – Deputy Head of Silver Taiga Foundation, Alexander Morozov – member of AgroUdora cooperative and others. The aim of the visit was to present Model River Project during the interregional conference held in Pinega region of the Arkhangelsk oblast of Russia.
– The conference has been organized by local administrations of Pinega, Leshukonskoe and Mezen municipial regions together with the regional branch of «Opora Rosii» – All-Russian NGO dealing with small and middle business. The conference was also attended by the regional deputies and it was devoted to implementation of efficient ways of interaction between authorities, business and civil society, – says Yury Pautov, – we have been invited in order to develop the cooperation dealing with business projects and realization of the civil society initiatives. Model River Project is the example of such initiative. River Mezen flows through Udora region of Komi and the Arkhangelsk oblast of Russia as well. Therefore it is necessary to develop the cooperation to realize thisinitiative. Moreover it is impossible to realize some Project activities without participation of the Arkhangelsk oblast. For example, one of the Project activities is connected with regeneration of Salmon in Mezen River and its tributaries. And it is known that Salmon is a migratory fish that goes to its spawning grounds through the Arkhangelsk oblast as well. My presentation about Model River Project was well accepted by the representatives of business, local community and authorities. Everyone agreed that the Project is important and proposed to cooperate.
The group from Komi has also learned some more interesting information important for Model River Project. For example, it was interesting to know about fish breeding plant that was functioning in Pinega during Soviet time. No doubt this experience is important now with its positive and negative results.
According to Yury Pautov many local businessmen are “for” the Salmon regeneration as they carry out fishing and hunting tourism. At the end of the conference the participants exchanged contact information between each other and representatives of the authorities and business ready to cooperate in this Project.
The group from Komi concluded that rural tourism, handicrafts and local self-government are much better developed in the Arkhangelsk oblast than they are in Komi. For example, about 30 000 tourists visit Pinega region every year from Moscow, St.Petersburg, Arkhangelsk and other regions. Tourists are interested in landscape features of Pinega River and its tributaries, old churches (pilgrimage tourism), hunting and fishing. The tourists live in guest houses and mini hotels made by the local businessmen all over the region. Businessmen organize also summer holidays for children – rest camps, rafting along Pinega River, educational routes…
– I think that businessmen in the Arkhangelsk oblast know very well what they want, they know their potential consumers and how to attract them, – says Yury Pautov. – And that is why they demand to create conditions for their business development from the administration. For example, they demand to build good roads in order to develop tourism in the region. Of course there are some problems to be solved as well. These problems werediscussed during the conference.