Harvested Fish Research Articles

Decline in fish species diversity due to climatic and anthropogenic factors in Hakaluki Haor, an ecologically critical wetland in northeast Bangladesh

This study evaluates changes in fish species diversity over time in Hakaluki Haor, an ecologically critical wetland in Bangladesh, and the factors affecting this diversity. Fish species diversity data were collected from fishers using participatory rural appraisal tools and the change in the fish species diversity was determined using Shannon-Wiener, Margalef's Richness and Pielou's Evenness indices. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted with a dataset of 150 fishers survey to characterize the major factors responsible for the reduction of fish species diversity. Out of 63 fish species, 83% of them were under the available category in 2008 which decreased to 51% in 2018. Fish species diversity indices for all 12 taxonomic orders in 2008 declined remarkably in 2018. The first PCA (climatic change) responsible for the reduced fish species diversity explained 24.05% of the variance and consisted of erratic rainfall (positive correlation coefficient 0.680), heavy rainfall (−0.544), temperature fluctuation (0.561), and beel siltation (0.503). The second PCA was anthropogenic activity, including the use of harmful fishing gear (0.702), application of urea to harvest fish (0.673), drying beels annually (0.531), and overfishing (0.513). Finally, the third PCA was loaded with the fishermen age (0.719), education (−0.767), and fishing experience (0.695) of the fishers. Deepening of beels could enhance dry season water availability and shelter the fish. Imposing fisheries regulations to reduce human activities is inevitable to sustain haor fisheries.

Vertical distribution, seasonal differentiation and trajectory of movement of zooplankton and pelagic fish of Lake Baikal

In Lake Baikal, the majority (87%) of fish biomass is generated in the pelagic zone. Two species of Comephorus, three species of Cottocomephorus and Coregonus migratorius inhabit in the pelagic zone of the lake. Currently, only C. migratorius is considered a resource species, the harvest of which accounts for about 50% of the total fish harvest. Food items for pelagic fish are copepods Epischura baikalensis and pelagic amphipods Macrohectopus branickii. The seasonal distribution and formation of zooplankton concentrations determine the food migrations of fish. The patterns of the seasonal distribution of zooplankton and pelagic fish were described by M.M.Kozhov (1954, 1964). Comparative analysis of the abundance of zooplankton in South Baikal over time, showed that during the period of maximum development of E. baikalensis in the months of July, August, and October, zooplankton concentration in the decade 1997 to 2007 was twice more than in 1951 (Kozhov 1954; Kiprushina 2010). The distribution of E. baikalensis is directly dependent on the water temperature. Yet there is an inverse relationship in the surface layer 0–25 meters. During warming up of the surface water layers, which had been observed in 2002 year E. baikalensis left the upper zone and migrated deeper, to a layer of 50–100 meters. In other months of the year, no changes in the average values of the E. baikalensis abundance were revealed. At present, when the ecosystem of Lake Baikal is changing, there is a need to restart such complex studies, and to use the results obtained by M.M. Kozhov for comparative analysis.

Evaluating sustainable development policies in rural coastal economies

Sustainable development (SD) policies targeting marine economic sectors, designed to alleviate poverty and conserve marine ecosystems, have proliferated in recent years. Many developing countries are providing poor fishing households with new fishing boats (fishing capital) that can be used further offshore as a means to improve incomes and relieve fishing pressure on nearshore fish stocks. These kinds of policies are a marine variant of traditional SD policies focused on agriculture. Here, we evaluate ex ante economic and environmental impacts of provisions of fishing and agricultural capital, with and without enforcement of fishing regulations that prohibit the use of larger vessels in nearshore habitats. Combining methods from development economics, natural resource economics, and marine ecology, we use a unique dataset and modeling framework to account for linkages between households, business sectors, markets, and local fish stocks. We show that the policies investing capital in local marine fisheries or agricultural sectors achieve income gains for targeted households, but knock-on effects lead to increased harvest of nearshore fish, making them unlikely to achieve conservation objectives in rural coastal economies. However, pairing an agriculture stimulus with increasing enforcement of existing fisheries' regulations may lead to a win-win situation. While marine-based policies could be an important tool to achieve two of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (alleviate poverty and protect vulnerable marine resources), their success is by no means assured and requires consideration of land and marine socioeconomic linkages inherent in rural economies.

English

Coral reefs can undergo relatively rapid changes in the dominant biota, a phenomenon referred to as phase shift. Degradation of coral reefs is often associated with changes in community structure towards a macroalgae-dominated reef ecosystem due to the reduction in herbivory caused by overfishing. We investigate the coral-macroalgal phase shift due to the effects of harvesting of herbivorous reef fish by means of a continuous time model in the food chain. Conditions for local asymptotic stability of steady states are derived. We have shown that under certain conditions the system is uniformly persistent in presence of all the organisms. Moreover, it is shown that the system undergoes a Hopf bifurcation when the carrying capacity of macroalgae crosses certain critical value. Computer simulations have been carried out to illustrate different analytical results.

Traditional Fish Pond Management Provides Reliable Foraging Opportunities for Migrating Black Storks in Romania

Migrant water birds such as Black Storks Ciconia nigra have progressively started capitalizing on man-managed ecosystems during migration. Behavioural and ecological studies at stopovers are thus key to deliver comprehensive conservation policies. To be able to improve stopover potential for one of the main Black Stork fall passage sites in central Romania, the Dumbraviţa fishing complex, we analysed the species' foraging behaviour in relation to management of water levels and human activities. Afternoon feeding sessions were recorded weekly during two consecutive autumn migration periods in August–September 2017 and 2018. We used focal and scan sampling methods to quantify behavioural patterns based on 168, 10-minute feeding bouts between 16:00 and 18:00. The selection of foraging areas was contingent upon drainage practices and biased towards vegetated sectors of ponds. The time at which the storks started foraging was strongly correlated with the cessation of the daily fish harvest. Hunting strategies involved grabbing (visual) and water probing (tactolocation), the first prevailing in terms of frequency and time allotment and the latter mainly being used in shallow, muddy areas. Until now, traditional fish farming has unintentionally catered to Black Stork feeding preferences. We put forward several long-term management suggestions to secure the stopover potential for Black Storks at Dumbraviţa.

Fishing with Pesticides Affects River Fisheries and Community Health in the Indio Maíz Biological Reserve, Nicaragua

The practice of harvesting fish and crustaceans by using pesticides is understudied and under-reported in tropical inland fisheries yet poses a significant threat to freshwater biodiversity and community health. This research provides a brief review of the practice and an in-depth case study from southeast Nicaragua. In 2019, 86 interviews and 5 focus groups were conducted in remote communities in the Indio Maíz Biological Reserve (IMBR) and nearby surrounding area and combined with 4 years of local Indigenous Rama and Afrodescendent Kriol community forest ranger data. Forest rangers and 74% of interviewees reported that fishing with pesticides occurs in their communities, including both inside the IMBR and in the nearby surrounding area. The practice is primarily used by illegal settlers, and not by Rama and Kriol communities who have rights to the land in the IMBR. It entails the release of liquid pesticides in water or mixing powdered pesticides with corn flour and using the mixture as bait. Of seven chemicals reported, Cypermethrin, Deltamethrin, and Aluminum Phosphide were most common. The use of ichthyotoxic woody plants was more rarely reported. Habitats targeted ranged from swift headwaters to slow pools in small creeks to larger rivers, depending on target species. Main uses reported for the catch were food for family, bait to catch larger fish, and for sale. The main motivation was increased catch efficiency. Many interviewees attributed stomach issues, diarrhea, cough, convulsions, and miscarriage to exposure to poisoned river water. Twenty-five interviewees blamed poisoned rivers for livestock miscarriages or death. Severe local losses of fish and shrimp populations were reported. Rama and Kriol interviewees describe the practice as a threat to their river-based food security. Despite its illegality, no study participant knew a case of pesticide fishing that had been prosecuted. This destructive fishing practice has significant implications for conservation of the intact river systems of the primary rainforests of southeast Nicaragua, and to the local traditional fisheries they support.

Thử nghiệm nuôi cá ngựa đen (Hippocampus kuda Bleeker, 1852) bố mẹ thế hệ thứ I tại Khánh Hòa

Trial for culture broodstock of Black seeahorses (Hippocampus kuda Bleeker, 1852) the 1st generation (F1) in Khanh hoa province since September, 2018 to May, 2019 located in the experiment stations of Coastal Branch, Vietnam - Russian Tropical Center. The trial culture Black seahorse (F1) from seed to grow-outt fish by 2 method: cement tank and floating cage in sea. Result: The growth of fish is same in 2 method (P>0.05), but the survival rate in cement tank (83.0%) is higher than in floating cage (76.7%). The 2nd trial: culture Black seahorse (F1) from grow out to mature fish, result: The size of fish start trial W: 2083±189.5 mg, L: 104.7±3.61 mm, after 2 months culture, harvest fish with size W: 3680±104.6 mg, L: 120.2±1.51 mm. The 3rd trial: culture Black seahorse (F1) from mature fish to brood stock. Sex ratio male:female =1:1,1 (P>0.05). The survival rate of brood stock 81.1±1.36%; The rate male have embryo in pouch 70.6±11.82%; Spawning rate 71.1±10.08%; Spawning capacity of male 262±85 fry. Survival rate of fry 2 day after spawn 79.5±11.8%.

A Novel Prey-Predator Quadratic Harvesting Model via Optimal Control Theory and Hopf Bifurcation

In this investigation, a predator-prey interaction model among Phytoplankton, Zooplankton and Fish has been developed. In the absence of Zooplankton and Fish, it is assumed that Phytoplankton grows logistically. It is assumed that Zooplankton consumes Phytoplankton and Fish consumes Phytoplankton as well as Zooplankton. Holling type I & II functional responses have been considered to formulate the our proposed model. It is considered that Phytoplankton releases some toxin in the aquatic environment which makes some death in Zooplankton population. Quadratic harvesting is considered on Fish species. Boundedness of the solution of our proposed model has also been studied. Local stability of the system around each equilibrium point has been investigated. Also, the global stability of the interior equilibrium point has been studied. Existence condition of Hopf bifurcation of our proposed system has been studied. It is found that half saturation constant (α) can change the system dynamics. It is also found that the harvesting rate of Fish (E) and consumption rate of Zooplankton (γ1) has a significant role in the stability of the system. Again, it is found that the harvesting of Fish species will be increased if the selling price of Fish (p) and the annual discount (δ1) of Fish production cost increases. It is also found that the optimal harvesting rate of Fish decreases due to the increase of cost (c) of harvesting of Fish. Finally, some numerical simulation results have been presented to verify our analytical findings.

Montmorillonite and phosphorus enrichment in sediments as the causative factor for mud bank formation along the southwest coast of India

Mud banks of Kerala (southwest coast of India) are renowned for immense fish harvesting during the southwest monsoon season. Although inclement weather and turbulent waves during monsoon prevent vessels sailing into the sea, the tranquil mud banks provide a natural platform for artisanal fishing. Despite several attempts over the past 6 decades, the formation and sustenance of these mud banks remain scientifically unexplained. In this study, we analyzed the geochemical properties of sediments and fluid mud collected from Alappuzha mud banks. The sediments were mostly silty clay (relative abundance of kaolinite [35%–67%] and montmorillonite [25%–45%]), whereas the fluid mud was purely fine clay (montmorillonite [47%–67%] and kaolinite [29%–45%]). Phosphorus content was exceptionally high in the fluid mud (2240–2634 μg/g) and sediments (1559–3013 μg/g). Laboratory experiments showed an increase in volume and a decrease in the settling rate of sediments spiked with varying proportions of montmorillonite and phosphorus. Natural conditions such as winds, waves, currents, or terrestrial factors dislodged the sediments into the water column. Natural sedimentation of clay particles results in the rapid flocculation of large particles (kaolinite and illite), whereas light particles (montmorillonite) remain suspended in the water column for a longer time. During this period, phosphate anions (or any oxyanions) geochemically interact with montmorillonite as well as with its interlayer cations in the following ways: (i) the ligand exchange reaction between the edge hydroxyl groups of mineral with phosphate anions increase the size and negative charge of the clay particles and (ii) phosphate anions effectively adsorb to the interlayer cations. The resultant strong interparticle repulsive force stabilizes the clay suspension, and thereafter, (iii) the intercalation of organic moieties stably converts the hydrophilic clay suspension into a hydrophobic suspension. Results of bulk geochemical parameters along the southwest coast of India show that montmorillonite and phosphorus-rich sediments are the unique properties of Alappuzha mud banks, which lead to their recurrent formation.

A Comparative Study of the Methods to Assess Occupational Noise Exposures of Fish Harvesters.

BackgroundNoise-induced hearing loss is a well-known occupational disease that affects many fish harvesters from many fisheries worldwide, whose risk factor is prolonged exposure to hazardous noise levels. To date, academic research activities and regulatory bodies have not provided any comparative analysis among the existing methods to assess noise exposure levels of fish harvesters. This paper provides a comparison of four relevant assessment methods of noise exposure, examining the results of a measurement campaign performed onboard small fishing vessels from Newfoundland and Labrador.MethodsWe traveled onboard 11 vessels engaged in multiple fisheries from Newfoundland and Labrador and performed extensive noise exposure surveys using the simplified International Maritime Organization method, the full-day measurement method, and the two methods provided by ISO 9612:2009, the task-based method and job-based method (JBM).ResultsThe results showed that the four methods yield similar values when the noise components are dominated by the engine and auxiliaries (steady-state sources); when noise components are dominated by the fishing gear, task-based method and the simplified International Maritime Organization method estimates are less accurate than JBM, using full-day measurements as baseline.ConclusionThe JBM better assesses noise exposure in small-scale fisheries, where noise exposure has significant variance and uncertainties on the exposure levels are higher.

Effect of frozen storage on microbial load of hybrid heteroclarias, Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus

Effect of frozen storage on microbial load of hybrid Heteroclarias, Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus was studied. Fifty samples, each of Heteroclarias, C. gariepinus and O. niloticus with an average weight of 210 + 15g were collected at a commercial fish farm in the study area after which they were processed and frozen at -18°C and microbial analyses were done at 0, 14, 28, 42 and 56 days after frozen storage. Data obtained were logarithmically transformed (log cfu/g) and then subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 16.0 version. No significant (p>0.05) difference was found for total viable count (TVC), total fungal count (TFC), total coliform count (TCC) and Klebsiella spp. count of the fish species studied during the frozen period. The potential of freezing as a good fish preservation method was established as it inhibited microbial activities thereby elongating fish shelf life. It was concluded that Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus fish species can be kept safe up to 56 days by freezing as the microbial loads did not change significantly during the period. Uncontrolled discharge of effluents into the surrounding water bodies should also be checked to avoid contamination prior to fish harvest.

Mathematical model of coral reefs with fish harvesting effect

The degradation of coral reefs is becoming increasingly alarming. If left unchecked, there will be an imbalance of the marine ecosystem. Many factors are killing the coral reefs. There is nature factor such as global warming and human activities factor such as destructive fishing. In this paper, we proposed model coral reefs with a system of the nonlinear ordinary differential equation between five populations, namely coral reefs, parrotfish, macroalgae, algal turfs, and crown of thorns starfish in the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea. We consider biological interactions such as predator-prey relationships between the crown of thorns starfish and coral reefs, and macroalgae grazers on coral reefs. We consider destructive fishing that damage the coral. Using the standard dynamic system theory, we determined the stability of the system with and without fishing. We show numerical simulation and sensitivity analysis to evaluate the investigation results to conclude the effect of the destructive fishery on coral reefs.

A influência da variação zonal da confluência Brasil-Malvinas na safra da tainha no estado de Santa Catarina entre os anos 2006 a 2016

The Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (CBM) comprises the region located in the southwestern portion of the Atlantic Ocean, with a strong influence on meteorological aspects and oceanographic phenomena, including sea surface temperature (SST). Variations in SST, influence the dynamics and behavior of aquatic species and consequently the fishing productivity of mullet (Mugil liza), a species of great economic importance in the state of Santa Catarina. The present study deals with the analysis of the influence of the CBM zonal variation on the sea surface temperature (SST) in southern Brazil, making a comparison with the data of the fish harvest in the Santa Catarina coast, considering a period of 11 years (2006 to 2016) and in the months of fishing (April to July). From the data analysis it is possible to identify the characteristic behavior of the period and to analyze the influencing factors.

Culturally Driven Monitoring: The Importance of Traditional Ecological Knowledge Indicators in Understanding Aquatic Ecosystem Change in the Northwest Territories’ Dehcho Region

There is growing concern about the sustainability of freshwater ecosystems in northern Canada that are under significant stress from climate change, resource development, and hydroelectric development, among others. Community-based monitoring (CBM) based on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) has the potential to contribute to understanding impacts on the environment and community livelihoods. This paper shares insights about culturally driven monitoring, through collaborative research with Kátł’odeeche First Nation (KFN) in the Northwest Territories. This research was initiated in 2018 to improve understanding of the changes occurring in the Hay River and Buffalo River sub-basins, which extend primarily across the Alberta and Northwest Territories borders. Drawing on 15 semi-structured interviews conducted with KFN elders, fish harvesters, and youth, this paper illustrates the kinds of social–ecological indicators used by KFN to track changes in the health of aquatic systems as well as the fishing livelihoods of local people. Utilizing indicators, fishers observe declines in fish health, water quality, water quantity, and ice thickness in their lifetime. Community members perceive these changes to be a result of the cumulative effects of environmental stressors. The indicators as well as trends and patterns being observed and experienced can contribute to both social learning in the community as well as the governance of the larger Mackenzie River Basin.

Design solutions to mitigate high noise levels on small fishing vessels

Occupational noise exposure is a documented risk among fish harvesters worldwide. So far, researchers’ main concern has been the detection of onboard noise levels causing noise-induced hearing loss. However, this fails to consider the relationship between hazardous noise levels and noise-induced fatigue.Differently from previous studies and regulatory standards, this research activity focuses on the development of noise control interventions to mitigate the risk of noise-induced fatigue on small fishing vessels. The procedure uses i) Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA), ii) experimental measurements, iii) graph theory to identify K-dominant transmission paths, and iv) a study of the contribution of airborne and structure-borne noise sources to the overall noise on board. We apply it to a case-study vessel from the small-scale fishing fleet of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). The results show that this procedure is a powerful tool to analyse noise propagation on small fishing vessels, and to analyse the effectiveness of noise control solutions. We show that noise transmission on this vessel is airborne and secondary structure-borne, and identify feasible and economical solutions to mitigate noise on board. We believe that these solutions can be applied to other small decked fishing vessels from NL.

Modeling and implementing the use of aeration to increase water temperature and dissolved oxygen in greenhouse aquaculture cages

In this study, an unique bamboo floating cage was built in order to heat the water used for rearing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus x O. niloticus) and climbing perch (Anabas testudineus, Bloch) in Northern Thailand during the colder rainy and winter seasons. This special greenhouse fish cage (SGFC) was covered with polyethylene to heat the surface air with solar energy, and insulated to prevent heat loss. The water temperature at depths of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.8 m was modeled and measured. In various trials, the cages were aerated with and without heated air from the surface. It was found that the thermal efficiency of the SGFC integrated with hot air aeration at a water depth of 0.80 m was 32.65 %. Throughout the day, the average water temperature was 31.82 ± 0.68 °C, which was 0.76 °C higher than the water temperature outside the experiment, and the amount of oxygen in the water of 11.35 ± 0.13 mg/l. The SGFC can produce one extra fish harvest per year when compared with regular fish cages. Development equations to describe the thermal model were used for predicting the water temperature in the SGFC and thus validating the model. Moreover, the economic analysis of the SGFC found that the payback period was one year, seven months and fourteen days.

Risk-benefit modeling to guide health research in collaboration with Great Lakes fish consuming Native American communities

It is well documented that fish consumption imparts both health risks and benefits. Furthermore, fish harvest and consumption are an essential part of Great Lakes Native American cultures. Quantitative models that compare risk and benefits to potential consumption scenarios can help guide future health research as well as consumption advice for potentially sensitive populations. This article presents fish consumption scenarios based on self-reported meal plans constructed by tribal members in eastern upper peninsula and northern lower Michigan Anishinaabe. Two risk–benefit models were applied to these scenarios to estimate the potential neurodevelopmental and cardiovascular risks (either increased or reduced risk) from dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs), methylmercury (MeHg), and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFA). All scenarios except maximum exposure estimates (i.e. 25th–75th percentile MeHg, DL-PCB, and n3-PUFA intakes) predicted reduced cardiovascular risk and improved neurodevelopmental outcomes. The greatest predicted benefits (adjusted for risks) occurred at the 75th percentile intake of MeHg, DL-PCB, and n3-PUFA scenarios: 5.0 visual recall memory (VRM) and 4.41 Intelligence Quotient (IQ) benefits, and 28% reduced risk of cardio-vascular disease. Scenarios based on maximum self-reported intake, however, predicted health detriments. These results suggest that most fish consumption scenarios as constructed in collaboration with Native American communities could impart health benefits despite the presence of contaminants. However, high-end consumption estimates warrant caution as well as the need for well-crafted advice. Potential benefits further underscore the value of reducing contamination burdens in Great Lakes fisheries. Future priorities of ongoing contamination monitoring and health research are discussed.

The trade-off between biodiversity and sustainable fish harvest with area-based management

Abstract While fisheries provide food and employment for hundreds of millions of people, they also can have significant impact on biodiversity. We explore the potential of area-based fisheries management to simultaneously maintain biodiversity and high levels of sustainable food production. We used two illustrative examples of fisheries that have different gear types, areas, and species to evaluate the trade-off between biodiversity and harvest. We calculate the optimal effort by gear and area that maximizes a weighted objective function of biodiversity and harvest, ranging from 100% of the weight on harvest to 100% on biodiversity. We found for both case studies that the trade-off was highly convex, with win–win solutions allowing for high levels of both fishery harvest and conservation. This is achieved by reducing or eliminating fishing effort that negatively impacts high conservation value species while maintaining fishing effort with gears and in areas where there is low conservation impact. We suggest that, in most fisheries, such situations can be found and that effective area-based management can provide for high levels of biodiversity protection and food production.

Integrating Greenhouse Cherry Tomato Production with Biofloc Tilapia Production

Integration of intensive aquaculture systems with greenhouse plant production has been shown to improve aquaculture water quality conditions and improve plant nutrient use efficiency. The majority of the focus of integrated systems has involved raft culture or true hydroponics. Little work has been done on soilless culture utilizing drip irrigation. This study investigates the feasibility of integrating biofloc Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) production with greenhouse cherry tomato production (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme). Nile tilapia (157 g/fish) were stocked at 40 fish/m3 and grown for 149 days. The cherry tomato cvs. “Favorita” and “Goldita” were grown with aquaculture effluent (AE) waste and compared to plants grown with conventional fertilizer (CF) in soilless culture. Plants were grown for 157 days. Few differences in yield occurred between treatments until fish harvest (117 DAT). Post fish harvest, there was an 18.4% difference in total yield between CF and AE at crop termination for “Favorita”. Differences in yield between AE and CF were observed for “Goldita” at fish harvest (117 DAT) and crop termination (157 DAT). Results from this study suggest the potential for successful integration of cherry tomato grown in a substrate-based system with AE from a tilapia biofloc production system.

Storing fish?: a dog\u2019s isotopic biography provides insight into Iron Age food preservation strategies in the Russian Arctic

Analysis of individual animal bodies can provide numerous useful insights in archeology, including how humans provisioned such animals, which in turn informs on a variety of other past behaviors such as human dietary patterns. In this study, we conducted stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis of collagen and keratin from four types of tissues from a dog burial at the Ust’-Polui site in the Iamal region of Arctic Russia. Ust’-Polui is an Iron Age site located on the Lower Ob River, a major northern fishery characterized by extreme seasonal shifts in fish presence. During a 6-month period stretching over the coldest months of the year, fish are nearly entirely absent in the Lower Ob River. Despite this, the stable isotope compositions of the dog’s bone and dentine collagen and hair and nail keratin all indicate a monotonous diet focusing on local fish. This pattern indicates the dog was provisioned year-round with fish. This was likely accomplished by mass harvesting of fish using nets or traps. Such fish were then processed and frozen for consumption during the non-fishing season. These findings suggest that people in the Ust’-Polui region also relied to some extent on fish throughout the year. Stored fish likely provided a dietary buffer for uneven returns from reindeer and bird hunting, both of which also are well-evidenced at the site.