Abstract
The aim: the characteristics of sturgeon fish that make seasonal migrations to the near-shore zone of the Azov Sea.Material — scientific monitoring of commercial fishing with stationary seines in the water area of the Sea of Azov adjacent to the Primorsko-Akhtarsk district in October 2022, 2023 and April 2023, 2024.The results: Russian Sturgeon and Starry Sturgeon (Sevruga) were encountered in stationary seines from 50% to 100%, and the average catch of these species per facility was 1.3–7 sp./day in the autumn and spring periods, respectively. In the fall of 2022, the prevalence of Sevruga in bycatch was almost double — 63% of the total bycatch; in the spring and fall of 2023, 2024, the superiority was with Sturgeon — 63–83% of the bycatch. Size range of Sturgeon in 2022–2024 was from 22 to 148 cm; Sevruga — from 23 to 123 cm. The weight range of Sturgeon was from 0.1 to 30.0 kg, Sevruga — from 0.2 to 7.8 kg. The share of fish that reached the commercial length was on average 20.7% of Sturgeon and 36.6% of Sevruga. The age of the fish varied from fingerlings to 16+ for Sturgeon and up to 8+ for Sevruga. The average fullness coefficient of Russian Sturgeon in the autumn was 0.72; in spring, — 0.79; Sevruga: in the autumn of 2022 and 2023–0.45, in the spring of 2023–0.58. The state of Russian Sturgeon in the near-shore aggregations indicates the formation of its full-fledged mixed-age population in the Sea of Azov, that allows to expect its commercial fishing in the near future, on the background of the increasing its stock. The state of the Sevruga requires more in-depth research. A high fish fatness coefficient indicates their sufficient food supply.Practical value: Observations of bycatch in stationary seines in the near-shore area of the sea are an important addition to the accounting trawl survey data for understanding the structure of the Russian Sturgeon population in the Azov Sea and practically the main source of information on the state of the Sevruga population.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
