Cbd third National Report Armenia (English version)

Goal 6	Control threats from invasive alien species.
Target 6.1	Pathways for major potential alien invasive species controlled
National target: Has a national target been established corresponding to the global target above?
No					X
Yes, the same as the global target
Yes, one or more specific national targets have been established
Please provide details below.
With the purpose to meet the obligations stemming from the biodiversity conventions the adopted “Law on Flora” (1999); “Law on Fauna” (2000) and “Law on the Lake Sevan” (2001), in individual articles of which it is prohibited to illegally import and export the flora and fauna organisms for acclimatization and selection purposes. The state quarantine service inspects the main transportation routs; however, the attention is focused exclusively on known quarantines weeds and agriculture and forest pests. The penetration of alien invasive species presenting potential threat for the natural ecosystem is not under special control.
National targets for specific programmes of work: If such national target(s) ha(s)(ve) been established, please indicate here, and give further details in the box(es).
Programme of work		Yes	No	Details
Agricultural				“Law on plants conservation and plants quarantine” (2000) stipulates the supervision over the agriculture pests and their prevention from penetration into the territory of the republic.
Inland water
Marine and coastal
Dry and sub humid land
Forest
Mountain
Has the global or national target been incorporated into relevant plans, programmes and strategies?
No
Yes, into national biodiversity strategy and action plan					X
Yes, into sectoral strategies, plans and programmes
Please provide details below.
In NBSAP a range of measures have been mentioned, which are aimed at the control of introduced and invasive species: - include measures to limit the species in the ministerial plans and action plans of species’ conservation; - train the customs officers on important and endangered species requiring import and export permits; - set up regulation on introduced fish species treatment in the pools; - introduce a survey to identify and control the spread of imported species and their impact on biodiversity.
Please provide information on current status and trends in relation to this target.
The country’s policy towards the invasive species is based on the relevant articles of Laws (on flora; fauna) and the Government Resolutions. According to the Government’s relevant decrees (see target 4.3, section IV) the import and export of plants and animals into the Republic of Armenia is done in case of having a permit issued by Ministry of Nature Protection. However, the spontaneous or predetermined penetration sources of invasive species are numerous. Source of casual introduction can be individual fish farms, which in order to get commercial fish use natural water ecosystems – rivers, reservoirs. There are 4 invasive species in the Lake Sevan – white fish, Cyprinus carpio, Carassius auratus and crayfish. The white fish is a valuable fish species. It has been transported to the lake in 1920-30s with the purpose of acclimatization. In the lake it had a free environmental niche and up to date it has abundand nutrition and is not a competitor with other fish species. Carassius auratus is a fish of lower value. It penetrated the lake in 1980s and is a serious competitor for the other fishes in the lake. It eats everything. Eats several times more than other fishes and has achieved considerable quantitative development. Cyprinus carpio has penetrated into the lake together with Carassius auratus. It is also a fish of lower value; however, its development in the lake is oppressed. For crayfish in the lake there are favorable development and growth conditions. The nutrition is not limited. Ondatra is one of the aggressive invasive species of the fauna; the area of the development of it is rapidly growing. Having destroyed the vegetation in the area of Ardenis lake, which is necessary for grey-eyed diver’s egg laying, the ondatra has seriously reduced the population of that bird. Although there are special services in the republic, one cannot say for sure that all the ways of penetration and import of invasive species are under reliable control. This comes to speak about the fact that during last 2 years in the territory of the republic they have registered one more introduced invasive species – false Japanese armored. Recently they have discovered one more invasive plant - Ailanthus altissimo, which has started to penetrate into the natural ecosystems. By and large around ten plant species seriously endanger the balance of the natural ecosystems. In 2005 in Institute of Botany of NAS they have started research activities aimed at the evaluation of the spread of invasive species and their impact on the natural ecosystems. The list of Armenia’s invasive flora and fauna species list has been prepared. The activities of special services are aimed against the penetration of invasive species into the territory of the republic. Since 1972 in Armenia there is state quarantine service – state inspectorate of plants’ quarantine and land cultivation. In marzes the quarantine inspectorate has local points, which control the spread of invasive species on the spots. In quarantine list they have registered 5 species of agriculture plants’ pests; 2 species of weeds and 3 diseases. The import of disease that might endanger the animal and human life is also under control, which is implemented by the Ministries of Health and Agriculture.
Please provide information on indicators used in relation to this target.
Number of newly discovered species. Frequency of encountering of individual invasive species.
Please provide information on challenges in implementation of this target.
The main challenge is underestimation of the importance of the issue and as a result of it lack of funding, personnel and material basis. In its activities the quarantine inspectorate is guided by old guidelines; there is no reliable information about new potential invasive species; there are not relevant manuals and guidelines in Armenian.
Please provide any other relevant information.

13. 
    
    

Target 6.2	Management plans in place for major alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats or species
National target: Has a national target been established corresponding to the global target above?
No					X
Yes, the same as the global target
Yes, one or more specific national targets have been established
Please provide details below.
With its Resolution # 1840 (2004) the Government envisaged the evaluation of the impact of alien invasive and introduced species on the ecosystems, natural habitats and biodiversity and measures to regulate the use.
National targets for specific programmes of work: If such national target(s) ha(s)(ve) been established, please indicate here, and give further details in the box(es).
Programme of work		Yes	No	Details
Agricultural
Inland water
Marine and coastal
Dry and sub humid land
Forest
Mountain
Has the global or national target been incorporated into relevant plans, programmes and strategies?
No
Yes, into national biodiversity strategy and action plan					X
Yes, into sectoral strategies, plans and programmes
Please provide details below.
See 6.1: section III
Please provide information on current status and trends in relation to this target.
No program or measure has been developed or introduced for the fight against the alien species, as they have not evaluated yet the impact and size of danger of those species on the natural ecosystems; habitats or individual indigenous species. Crucian carp and crayfish continue to successfully grow in the Lake Sevan. For commercial purposes in the natural and artificial ponds of approximately all the marzes of the republic they breed spawn crayfish. No measures are undertaken for fight against Cyprinus carpio and crayfish; crayfish is a commercial target. Since 2004 they work over evaluating the reserves of the crayfish in the lake and preventing the volumes of fishing. Cyprinus carpio is deemed as lower value fish species. The main way to fight against it is to allow unlimited fishing for it during all the months of the year, as well as the spawning period.
Please provide information on indicators used in relation to this target.
Please provide information on challenges in implementation of this target.
Lack of information about the impact of alien species on the ecosystem of Armenia; lack of research projects in that direction.
Please provide any other relevant information.
Besides the obvious negative impact of the pests on the agriculture, any alien species can have a negative impact on the normal processes of ecosystems (for example as a result of competition and worsening of habitat conditions of indigenous species). In Armenia there are many alien water animals, like a range of fishes (white fish, Cyprinus carpio, Carassius auratus, gambuzia, etc); river crayfish, nutria; ondatra. These species have been imported partially on purpose and partially invaded to the reservoirs from fish breeding and animal breeding farms. However, the invasion of some of these species, especially of white fish and less Cyprinus carpio and crayfish, into ecosystems during the years has created a new situation, which at present shall be considered as stable. Besides, the aforementioned species have become an important part of the country’s food security, hence, the fight against them is groundless.

14. 
    
    

Goal 7	Address challenges to biodiversity from climate change, and pollution.
Target 7.1	Maintain and enhance resilience of the components of biodiversity to adapt to climate change
National target: Has a national target been established corresponding to the global target above?
No					X
Yes, the same as the global target
Yes, one or more specific national targets have been established
Please provide details below.
National targets for specific programmes of work: If such national target(s) ha(s)(ve) been established, please indicate here, and give further details in the box(es).
Programme of work		Yes	No	Details
Agricultural
Inland water
Marine and coastal
Dry and sub humid land
Forest
Mountain
Has the global or national target been incorporated into relevant plans, programmes and strategies?
No
Yes, into national biodiversity strategy and action plan
Yes, into sectoral strategies, plans and programmes					X
Please provide details below.
The list of measures aimed at the reduction of ecosystems vulnerability is presented in the first national report on climate changes in Armenia; some additional measures are envisaged in the national action plan for CCD. NBSAP does not include the climate change issues in the form of individual actions, however certain activities are consistent with the target, especially: - protect and rehabilitate the biodiversity of the main water-marsh ecosystems (including the lakes Sevan, Gilli and Arpi); - rehabilitate the rare and commercially rich forests – ensuring their natural reproduction; - determine the optimal proportion of the surfaces of pastures and grasslands and pastures for various landscapes. The Government Resolution “On approving the list of measures to meet the commitments of Armenia stemming from a range of international environmental conventions” # 1840-N dated 02.12.04 envisages: - elaborate of policy and strategy on the development of adjustability of the climate changes, reduction of green house gases and absorbers; - establishment of mechanism for the development, exchange and application of technologies contributing to the reduction of green house gas emissions, as well as to adjust to the consequences of the climate change. The following measures are envisaged in the National Forest Program (2005): - fostering the forestry/forest rehabilitation activities within clean development mechanisms; - evaluation of forest vulnerability as a result of climate change; - development of measures aimed at the increase of forest adjustability; - capacity evaluation of carbon absorption from the atmosphere of rehabilitating and newly planting forests.
Please provide information on current status and trends in relation to this target.
In the National Forest Program they have calculated that the efficient forest coverage of the republic shall constitute 20,1%, if forest covered territories expand by around 266,5 thousand ha. Given that there are many eroded lands in the country (around 44% of country’s territory), of which more than 60% as a result of extreme erosion are useless for commercial use, while calculating the effective forest coverage they have given a priority to the mitigation of erosion process of mountain slopes and through forest improvement return to the commercial use the lands out of agriculture use. In Institute of Botany of NAS they have started to evaluate the impact of the climate change on the ecosystems. The need for such studies has been mentioned in the first national guidebook on climate change (1998); however, up to 2005 the mentioned activities have not been performed.
Please provide information on indicators used in relation to this target.
Please provide information on challenges in implementation of this target.
Lack of data about changes of ecosystem due to climate change, first of all in the etalon zones, where those changes can be observed.
Please provide any other relevant information.