Kamchatka Region and Koryak Autonomous Okrug

	Physical geography and climate
	Population, economic development and infrastructure
	Indigenous land use and dependence on the environment
	Environmental threats
	Map (1997)
	Article collection

Environmental threats

The maintenance and quality of reindeer pasture lands is a basal need both for the indigenous population of the Koryak Autonomous Okrug and that of the interior of the adjacent areas to the south. There are local impacts on reindeer pastures due to the development of mining and infrastructure. The most immediate danger is possible pollution from the gold mine at Ametist, but other mines may be developed. Unfortunately, experience shows that mining, in the same way as hydrocarbon development, in Russia traditionally has led to comparatively large devastated land areas and environmental pollution.

A threat towards the indigenous peoples’ access to their salmon resources is offshore fishing by commercial domestic and foreign trawlers. In the early 1990s, too much was caught in the sea, with resulting losses for the Koryak fishers, which resulted in increased losses through predators on reindeer herds.

Other issues:

1. Uncontrolled tourism development in the okrug is a potential threat.

2. Depletion of game, fish, plants and firewood has resulted in hunting, fishing and gathering regulations in spite of increased local needs during the present crisis.

3. Forest depletion through the timber is a problem in the Kamchatka Valley .

4. The Commander Islands are a State Natural Reserve with environmental protection laws that are a hindrance for the necessary reorganisation of traditional occupations.