The efforts to preserve the Achikol Lake system in Dagestan have averted an environmental catastrophe, Ilya Shestakov, the head of the Russian Federal Fisheries Agency says. The Achikol lakesystem, spanning over 30,000 hectares, serves as a vital breeding ground for migratory and partially migratory fish species.

The Arakum reservoirs serve dual purposes, functioning both as breeding and rearing grounds and as sites for industrial fishing. In 2024 the Fisheries Agency implemented a project aimed at clearing the Gudia Bayou and supplying channels in order to enhance fish reproduction conditions and maintain reservoirs.

The construction of an over 11-kilometer canal connecting the Shavinsky Spill to the final intake structure restored normal hydrological conditions within the reservoirs, effectively preventing a regional environmental catastrophe. By the 2025 spawning season, both the Arakum and Nizhne-Tersk reservoirs were nearly full, creating favorable conditions for the reproduction of valuable aquatic species.

Currently, efforts are focused on establishing designated fish farming areas within the reservoirs while ensuring the preservation of crucial fish spawning pathways. A dedicated working group has been formed to address this complex challenge.