Commitments of the Coastal States of Caspian Sea in the Management of the Entrance of Invasive Alien Species (Mnemiopsis Leidyi in the Perspective of International Environmental Law

Mnemiopsis leidyi in Caspian Sea is an example of invasive alien species that was moved to Caspian Sea by ballast water of ships through Volga- Don canal in the 1990th decade. This Plankton-eating species put many of creatures of Caspian Sea such as Common Kilkas, Sturgeons and Caspian seals at risk of distinction by disrupting the food chain. Due to the hard environmental and economic impacts of invasive alien species, the main question of this research is what obligations does international law impose on the Caspian coastal states to manage such species? In response, by using descriptive- analytical method and library resources, it was concluded that the Islamic Republic of Iran and other countries along Caspian Sea have become members of some global and regional environmental agreements which explicitly or implicitly, assigns them obligations on prevention, control and elimination of alien invasive species. International customary rules and general legal principles also impose obligations on these states to take preventive, precautionary and control measures. Violations any of primary obligations by countries or causing damage, can lead to the international responsibility of offending state or causing damage state. Therefore, international law is not challenged about existence of binding rules regarding the management of invasive alien species in Caspian Sea, but effective implementation of these rules requires further cooperation between member states.