The Pale Blue Dot

 

The Caspian Sea—the world’s largest inland body of water—has long shaped the destinies of the people living along its shores. Shared by Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, the sea is now under severe environmental pressure. Climate change, pollution, damming of major rivers like the Volga, and industrial activity have caused significant drops in water levels.

Scientists warn that if current trends continue, the sea’s water level could drop by 9 to 18 meters by the end of this century—an irreversible collapse that threatens communities, economies, and entire ecosystems. More than 15 million people live in areas around the southern Caspian basin, where declining fish stocks, coastal erosion, and habitat loss are already affecting livelihoods. The sea is a unique habitat for critically endangered sturgeon species, whose caviar is globally prized, as well as for migratory bird species that rely exclusively on this region for wintering and breeding. Prolonged droughts and water scarcity across the Middle East have also triggered internal migration toward the Caspian coast, increasing population pressure, pollution, and unregulated development. If these trends continue, the region could face human displacement on a multi-million scale.

 

This project has been photographed over the course of ten years and documents the impact of the Caspian Sea’s decline on local populations in the southern basin. Through images of affected coastal towns and daily life, the work reflects on how environmental degradation directly alters the social and economic fabric of the region.

1: Fishermen on their traditional fishing boats are preparing and spreading out the hand-mended nets in the early morning. This type of collective fishing is called Pareh in the local language.

2: An old man sits in a coffee house near the Caspian Sea. Spending time in coffee houses has always been an intrinsic part of Anzali people's lives, which many of them turn to for both socializing and gambling.

3: Local fishermen catch fish species in the Anzali Wetland. The Caspian kutum, as a migratory and popular fish, has become critically endangered due to the threatening conditions of the wetland.

A fridge of an old-fashioned grocery store with cartons of eggs, close to the Anzali Wetland. A fridge of an old-fashioned grocery store with cartons of eggs, close to the Anzali Wetland.

5: The dredger is removing accumulated sediment and Azolla, an invasive plant, from the bottom of water bodies in the only navigable part of Anzali Wetland.

6: Douglas, the migratory pelican, was injured a few years ago and was treated and kept by Uncle Jalal. Unlike most bird species that engage in their annual migration, Douglas did not continue to move after the recovery and has been living with him in his house for years.

7: Shanbeh Bazaar is a weekly local market held every Saturday around the Anzali Lagoon. Fresh fish, homemade products, and various other goods are sold, which play a crucial role in fueling the local economy.

8: The firefighting aircraft is extinguishing the deliberate fire in the Anzali lagoon in September 2021. Some parts of the wetland are intentionally severely affected by fires. The wetland's vegetation is cleared by profiteers, while it was once completely underwater but has been exposed due to human activities and drought. This issue is considered the main reason behind Anzali Wetland’s degradation in recent years.

9: Sturgeon breeder in the fish breeding pond. Sturgeon is considered an ancient species, originally native to the Caspian Sea. The margins of the Anzali Wetland have become a burgeoning region for breeding sturgeon fish and producing caviar, renowned as the Iranian caviar and the best caviar in the world. However, Anzali wetland is under threat from the irregular abstraction of pond water (water pumping) for fish farming, particularly in the last few decades.

10: Fishermen have left their jobs as the fishing industry is now facing serious challenges. The dramatic decrease in fish stocks and the devastating environmental consequences mean that this once key source of income is now insufficient.

11: The young people socialize on breakwaters constructed without an environmental impact assessment. The new Anzali breakwaters, coupled with drought conditions, have caused a severe reduction in the only connection between the Caspian seawater flow and the wetland.

12: The bag of a local fisherman, containing some fish caught and pulled from the water.

13: A couple of men and women watch waterbirds at the Selke National Wildlife Refuge. This protected area was established in 1970 and is located in the Anzali wetland complex, which provides an important habitat for wintering waterbirds.

14: Deforestation, resulting from illegal logging, has caused soil erosion, which has increased sedimentation and led to a gradual reduction in the level of the wetland.

15: For the second consecutive year in September 2022, forty hectares of the wetland have been destroyed by a deliberate fire. Arson attacks occur in these years in early September by profiteers occupying the wetland lands for land use change, mainly for farming and construction purposes.

16: A statue of a flamingo is in a storefront. Flamingos are one of the most favorite migratory birds in this region, and the use of their symbol is very common among the people. They are extremely sensitive to disturbance. So, in recent years, most of them have left the wetland for settlement and wintering due to hearing shooting sounds from hunters.

17: A boat is abandoned on the outskirts of the Anzali lagoon, which is no longer usable due to the drying and shallowing of the lagoon. This area has already been a wetland but was recently replaced with a ring road.

18: Ramazan Nia, a hunter with his gun, stands in the watershed region of northern Iran. Illegal hunters often target waterbirds that migrate along the Afro-Eurasian and Central Asian flyways for breeding and wintering.19: Local people of Gazgisheh village burn marks on horses' bodies, termed branding, to show to whom they belong.

19: Local people of Gazgisheh village burn marks on horses' bodies, termed branding, to show to whom they belong.

20: One of the first commemorative photos of my mother, sister, and me when I was four years old. It was taken on the coast of the Caspian Sea on a warm summer day, as my primary encounters with the sea which I remember vividly.