Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information The ecological conditions at the "Balikchi" Fish-farm (rich feeding and places to rest and nest) attract many waterbirds, especially piscivorous species. 104 species have been recorded. Aythya nyrоса and Coracias garrulus are included on the IUCN List of threatened animal species. Pelecanus onocrotalus, Phalacrocoraх pygmaeus, Egretta garzetta, Platalea leucorodia, Ciconia ciconia, Aythya nyrоса, Pandion haliaetus, Haliaeetus albicilla and Larus ichthyaetus are included in the National Red Book (2006).

Site description The "Balikchi" Fish-farm is situated in the flat country of NE Uzbekistan, 5-6 km to the south of the town of Chinaz on the right bank of the Sirdarya river. This territory belongs to the Low-Chirchic district of Tashkent region and borders on Sirdarya region. "Balikchi" is one of the unique non-natural reservoirs in the middle stretches of the Sirdarya river. It became operational in 1961. Fish are raised from eggs to a marketable weight. There are finishing and breeding ponds and an experimental acclimatization section here. There are two sources of water supply: by gravity from a canal from the Chirchik river and a pump station on the Sirdarya river. Water is released by gravity into the Sirdarya river. The climate is rather wet, with 300-700 mm of atmospheric precipitation a year.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Habitats

Land use

Other biodiversity Mammals include nutria and jackal; amphibians and reptiles Rana ridibunda, Bufo viridis, Natrix tessellata, Pseudopus apodus, Vipera renardi, Coluber sp., Ablepharus pannonicus; fish Cyprinus carpio, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Ctenopharygodon idella, Ictalurus punctatus, Channa argus and Gambusia afinis. Wild poplar, osier willow, oleaster, Oriental plane and White poplar grow here. There are reedbeds on the shores of active ponds and tamarisk bushes on abandoned ponds.

Management considerations Birds, especially piscivorous species, are persecuted by station workers. Birds also suffer from reed burning and an unstable hydrological regime, especially when ponds are being filled. There is poaching on the station's territory.

Conservation response Research was carried out in 2006 as part of the of IBA project in Uzbekistan.

References 1.Data of the count of watebirds in "Balikchi" fish-station 12.12.2005 (in Russian) 2.E. Shernazarov (2006) Report on field surveys of IBA Balikchi (in Russian)

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: "Balykchi" Fish Farm. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013

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