Russian Waters Research Articles

Dynamics of the size and age composition of the arabesque greenling Pleurogrammus azonus in the pelagial of the russian waters in the sea of Japan

In the pelagial of the Russian waters of the Sea of Japan, juveniles and adults of the Arabesque greenling Pleurogrammus azonus are found from March to November. The average size of fingerlings of Arabesque greenling increase from South to North. Larger sizes of fingerlings in the north are determined by earlier spawning, compared to the south. Density aggregations of Arabesque greenling in the pelagic zone is much smaller than in the bottom layers of water. High migration activity is characteristic of a smaller hart of individuals.

The raw material base of water biological resources in the russian waters of the Chukchi sea and its cost

The studies carried out in this work made it possible to characterize the dynamics of the raw material base of aquatic biological resources of the Russian waters of the Chukchi Sea in 1997–2020 and evaluate its value at the present stage. The raw material base of marine fish and invertebrates varied from 5,4 to 450,1 thousand tons (with an average value of 196,7 thousand tons). It was based on marine fish – an average of 189,0 thousand tons (96,1% of all resources), stocks of invertebrates – 7,7 thousand tons (3,9%). Estimates of the commercial WBR biomass in the Chukchi Sea are approximately 24 times lower than the estimates of the resource base of the western part of the Bering Sea: 4,1 and 5,1% of the biomass of marine fish and invertebrates, respectively. Stocks of hydrobionts showed a gradual downward trend from 1997 to 2007, a low level in 2008–2017 and a sharp rise in 2018–2020. Significant growth in resources in the late 2010s led to mass walleye pollock migration to the Chukchi shelf from the Bering Sea, which led to an increase in the raw material base of WBR by 431 thousand tons and a concomitant increase in its cost by 23,7 billion rubles. The cost of the raw material base of the Russian waters of the Chukchi Sea in 2019–2020 amounted to 34–51 billion rubles, in absolute terms yielding to the Bering and Okhotsk seas by 14,0 and 31,3 times. The most valuable species of bioresources in terms of value were cod fish (walleye pollock Gadus chalcogrammus) and crabs (snow crab Chionoecetes opilio), the total contribution of which exceeds 90% of the total value of the estimated commercial stocks of the sea. With a high probability, it can be assumed that it is these types of WBR that will form the economic basis of the Russian fishery in the Chukchi Sea in the future.

Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of the Purplegray Sculpin Gymnocanthus detrisus off the Mainland Coast of the Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of the Purplegray Sculpin Gymnocanthus detrisus off the Mainland Coast of the Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ПРОСТРАНСТВЕННОГО РАСПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ ГИДРОХИМИЧЕСКИХ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЕЙ В КУРШСКОМ ЗАЛИВЕ БАЛТИЙСКОГО МОРЯ В 2018-2022 ГОДАХ

Curonian Bay of the Baltic Sea is a lagoon that is considered to be a water body of the highest fisheries importance. Its current geoenvironmental status is characterized by a number of problems: influx of biogenic substances from a large catchment area, algal bloom, etc. As part of the monitoring surveys of the habitat of aquatic living resources that were conducted in the Russian waters of the Curonian Lagoon in 2018-2022, the spatial distribution of hydrochemical parameters was investigated in 6 areas established on the basis of their morphometric and hydrological features: Teply (Warm) Bay, western, central, eastern, and southern areas, and the Neman River discharge zone. Hydrochemical conditions in Teply Bay were characterized by a considerable deviation of dissolved oxygen concentrations from the rest of the Russian waters of the Curonian Lagoon, as well as by the higher values of BOD5 and ammonia nitrogen, and lower values of pH and nitrate nitrogen. In the western area, the lowest content of dissolved oxygen, BOD5, ammonia, and nitrate nitrogen was recorded. In the southern area, there was a reduced content of ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen. In the central area, the values of hydrochemical parameters were close to the average ones for Russian waters. The eastern and Neman River discharge areas, exposed to significant influence of the Neman River runoff, were characterized by a high concentration of nitrate nitrogen during seasonal flood, as well as by increased values of ammonia nitrogen and BOD5 during algal bloom in summer.

Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of the Purplegray Sculpin Gymnocanthus detrisus off the Mainland Coast of the Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

The purplegray sculpin Gymnocanthus detrisus occurs at the depths between of 17 and 595 m at the temperature from –1.1 to+13.2°C off the mainland coast of the Russian waters of the Sea of Japan. In the warm period, the fish are concentrated in the middle and lower parts of the shelf, mainly at a temperature of 1.2–2.0°C, in the cold period, in the lower part of the shelf and the upper part of the continental slope at 0.6–1.4°C. The water area in the north (the waters of the Tatar Strait) is intensively used only in the warm season. The main aggregations are formed in the south (Peter the Great Bay) and in the areas of the central part of the surveyed region. Juveniles are more eurythermal than adult individuals and more adults prefer the shelf zone in all seasons, where the temperature regime is less stable than on the mainland slope.

Effect of Water Treatment on the Chemical Composition of Drinking Water: A Case of Lovozero, Murmansk Region, Russia

The surface waters in Russia’s Murmansk Region used for public water supply are exposed to the negative impact of dust particles carried from the storage facilities for mining waste. For example, lanthanides and other rare metals enter the surface waters in Lovozero District from the tailings storage facilities (TSFs) of the Lovozero Concentrator, which requires thorough water treatment of drinking water. Using the monitoring data of the natural water of the Virma River and of the tap water in the residential community of Lovozero, Murmansk Region, and with the help of physical and chemical modeling (in the software suite Selector), we examined the effect of reagents used in water treatment on water chemistry. It was shown that the use of aluminum polyoxydichloride coagulant can lead to an increase in the concentration of aluminum and chlorine in water, a change in pH and Eh values. The use of liquid chlorine leads to a decrease in pH values and a change in the concentration of HCO3−, which entails a change in the forms of migration of calcium and lanthanides in solution. The composition of the precipitated phases changed, which indicates a change in the water chemistry, demonstrating that the applied water treatment technology adopted in Lovozero fails to improve water quality. It was shown that replacing liquid chlorine (a hazardous reagent) with NaOCl optimized the water treatment process, eliminating the need to stabilize the pH by adding sodium. Physical and chemical modeling was found to be useful for studying and optimizing water treatment processes.

Water use and ecosystem services: A case of Russia

The article is focused on the possibility of implementing ecosystem services (ES) in water management system of Russia. Examples of international practice ES-oriented water use policy are reviewed. Modern structure of water use system in Russia is presented. The main environmental problems of Russia in connection with ES according to Common international classification of ecosystem services (CICES) are summarized. As a result, the authors propose a roadmap for reforming water use based on ES in order to improve water management. Key positions of possibility way of development Russia's water use system are highlighted and recommendations are given due to sustainable development goals.

Population structure of walleye pollock within the Asian part of the range based on the analysis of various genetic markers

The aim: The aim of this work is focused on a phylogeographic analysis of the relationship between the population groups of walleye pollock Gadus chalcogrammus of the Asian part of the range.The methods: The analysis of phylogeographic analysis is based on the data of polymorphism of microsatellite markers, a fragment of the mtDNA control region (D-loop) and a fragment of the mtDNA cytochrome b gene. The newness: A comprehensive phylogeographic analysis using samples of spawning walleye pollock individuals from most of the Asian part of the range from the Sea of Japan to the northwestern Bering Sea using various genetic markers was carried out for the first time.The results: The results of the analysis of the variability of walleye pollock samples by mitochondrial markers (fragments of the cytochrome b and D-loop genes) allow us to distinguish two large population groupings within the Asian part of its range: the first one in the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan, the waters of the Kuril Islands and southeastern Kamchatka and the second one in the Bering and Chukchi seas. Analysis of the variability of walleye pollock samples by microsatellite markers allows us to judge the absence of population groupings in the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan, off the Kuril Islands and southeastern Kamchatka.The practical significance: When regulating pollock fishing in the Russian waters, it is necessary to establish a single total allowable catch (TAC) for each of the two superpopulations: the Sea of Okhotsk — Sea of Japan (1) and the Bering Sea (2) combining the sizes of proposed catch for walleye pollock groups belonging to each of these superpopulations.

Long-Term Changes in the Distribution and Abundance of Nine Deep-Water Skates (Arhynchobatidae: Rajiformes: Chondrichthyes) in the Northwestern Pacific.

Based on the analysis of long-term data from bottom trawl surveys (1977-2021), changes in the spatial distribution, position of the boundaries of the ranges and the catch rates of the nine most common deep-sea skates of the genus Bathyraja in the Russian waters of the Northwestern Pacific (B. violacea, B. aleutica, B. matsubarai, B. maculata, B. bergi, B. taranetzi, B. minispinosa, B. interrupta, and B. isotrachys) are considered. During the surveyed period, significant changes in the spatial distribution were observed, which are probably due to both subjective reasons (changes in the number of trawling stations, surveyed depths, etc.) and climatic changes. No monotonous displacement of the northern or southern boundaries of the range or its center in one direction was observed in any area of any species during the entire observation period. At the same time, shifts in the boundaries of the ranges of different species in different areas occurred for different decades, i.e., the boundaries of the ranges slowly fluctuated or "pulsed" near some average annual position. In general, from the 1970s to the 1980s, the number of skates grew; from the 1980s to the 1990s, it decreased; from the 1990s to the 2000s, it fluctuated at the achieved level; from the 2000s to the 2010s, it grew again; and from the 2010s to the 2020s, it decreased again. These trends coincide with previously identified ecosystem rearrangements under the influence of climatic and oceanological changes. The identification of links between changes in spatial distribution, range boundaries and catch rates with climatic and oceanological factors require separate additional studies.

Oceanographic conditions within the main area of walleye pollock

Purpose: to characterize oceanographic conditions and their variability at various time scales within the walleye pollock area, including all Far Eastern seas of Russia, the Chukchi Sea, and the South Kuril and East Kamchatka regions.Methods: analysis of literary sources and data of expedition studies conducted by the Far Eastern branches of «VNIRO».Novelty: for the first time, a generalization of current information on the oceanological conditions of walleye pollock habitat in the main areas of its reproduction, feeding and fishing was given.Results: In the Bering Sea, three periods were identified during 1950–2020: cold period (1950–1976), moderate period (1977–2013) and warm period (2014–2020). Strong year-classes of walleye pollock were formed only over the moderate period. During the modern warming of the Bering Sea migrations of walleye pollock from the US EEZ into Russian waters occurs by one month earlier that favors the pollock fishery in the Navarin area and Gulf of Anadyr. The warming of Okhotsk Sea waters, combined with the tendency to reduction of its ice cover, favor expansion of the walleye pollock feeding area northward and westward. The warming of the Sea of Japan results in a depressive trend for all Japan Sea walleye pollock populations. At the same time, against the background of depression in modern (abnormally warm) conditions, the formation of single strong year-classes of any Japan Sea walleye pollock population is still possible.Practical significance: the results of this work can be used to improve the methods of the medium-r ange and long-range forecasts of walleye pollock catch.

Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of the Black Edged Sculpin Gymnocanthus herzensteini (Cottidae) off the Mainland Coast of Russian Waters in the Sea of Japan

Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of the Black Edged Sculpin Gymnocanthus herzensteini (Cottidae) off the Mainland Coast of Russian Waters in the Sea of Japan

Features of the Biology of Mass Fish Species in Russian Waters of the Chukchi Sea. 1. Commercial Fish Biomass. Family Gadidae

Features of the Biology of Mass Fish Species in Russian Waters of the Chukchi Sea. 1. Commercial Fish Biomass. Family Gadidae

Capture of a new for the basin of Peter the Great Bay (Japan Sea) fish species ayu <i> Plecoglossus altivelis </i> (Temminck & Schlegel, 1846) (Plecoglossidae)

For the first time, natural entry of ayu or sweetfish into the river of Peter the Great Bay basin (Japan Sea) and generally into the waters of Russian Federation is registered. This finding extends the list of fish species and families dwelling in the Russian waters.

Pacific salmon: status of stocks and prospects for the fishery

Dynamics of the pacific salmon landing is reviewed. Mean registered domestic catch of these species was about 175,000 t per year in 1925–2021, but taking into account other estimations, as the volume of Japanese fishery, at least 250 . 103 t of salmon spawned in the Russian waters (within present-day borders) were withdrawn annually in this period. The potentially maximum annual catch of the Russian-originated pacific salmon is estimated around 350 . 103 t. Under current conditions for the Russian fishery, the annual catch of pacific salmon is unlikely to be less than 140–150 . 103 t in low-productive years and less than 220–250 . 103 t in high-productive years. For the next decade, annual catch of pacific salmon will supposedly exceed these thresholds in 100–120 . 103 t.

Importance of fish species in the bottom and near-bottoml biotopes of the Far-Eastern Seas and Pacific waters of Russia

Importance of fish species in the benthal ichthyocoenoses (up to depths of 2000 m) is discussed for the Russian waters in the Far-Eastern Seas and adjacent North-West Pacific on the data of bottom trawl surveys conducted by Pacific Fish. Res. Inst. (TINRO) in 1977–2010. The inverse Simpson index (or polydominance index) was chosen as a measure of dominance; Sorensen-Chekanovsky similarity index was used for comparative analysis of the dominance structure in ichthyocoenoses. The importance is determined for the top 20 species ranked by biomass (94.9 % of the total biomass of all demersal fish on the shelf and 95.8 % — at the continental slope, on average). Poor evenness under strong domination of 2–4 species is noted in the fish communities within the range of 0–2000 m. Walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma dominate in all regions whereas the subdominants are pacific herring Clupea pallasii, pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus, atka mackerel Pleurogrammus monopterygius, or okhotsk atka mackerel P. azonus, depending on the region. The pollock domination is interrupted at the continental slope of the Bering Sea, where giant grenadier Albatrossia pectoralis dominate. The subdominants at the continental slope of all regions are greenland halibut Reinhardtius hippoglossoides matsuurae, popeye grenadier Coryphaenoides cinereus, pacific herring, pacific sleeper shark Somniosus pacificus, scale-eye plaice Acanthopsetta nadeshnyi, and blackfin flounder Glyptocephalus stelleri. Generalized graphs of the ichthyocoenoses similarity between the studied regions (Okhotsk Sea, Bering Sea, Japan Sea, and Pacific waters at Kamchatka and Kuril Islands) by species structure and composition of the dominant species are presented, separately for the shelf and continental slope.

Stock status and catches of the Baltic herring in the Russian waters of the Baltic Sea (in the 26-th subdivision ICES)

The article presents the long-term dynamics of catches, total biomass and abundance of the stock of the Baltic herring (herring) Clupea harengus membras in the Russian waters of the 26th ICES subdivision of the Baltic Sea in 1993–2019 in comparison with the Central Baltic stock in 1974–2020. The contribution of the Russian water area of the Kaliningrad sector of the sea relative to the entire unit of herring stock is estimated.

Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of Great Sculpin Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus (Cottidae) in Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of Great Sculpin Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus (Cottidae) in Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

Biological Aspects, Fisheries, and Aquaculture of Yesso Scallops in Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

Scallops are bivalve filter-feeding mollusks that can attain a large size and have great importance in terms of their ecological roles and commercial value. Overfishing has led to a decrease in scallop stocks worldwide, leading to intense development of the aquaculture industry. The latter is well-established in Asian countries in the East Sea and Sea of Japan. In this paper, we summarized information regarding the biology, stock dynamics, and fishery of yesso scallops inhabiting Russian waters of the Sea of Japan. This species has relatively rapid growth rates and reaches a marketable size of 100 mm in shell height at age 3–5 years. In Russian waters, the total commercial stock of yesso scallops in 2021 was estimated at 2784 t. Commercial fisheries have been banned since 2020 due to the depletion of natural stocks as a result of illegal fishing and overexploitation. The total allowable catch for yesso scallops has been set at 3 t for monitoring and recreational purposes. The cultivation of the scallops includes spat collection, spat intermediate culture, and final grow-out on the seafloor or in suspended cages. In the past decade, this industry has demonstrated rapid growth and currently accounts for >16,000 t per year. Environmental fluctuations and epizootics seem to be the most important challenges for the scallop aquaculture sector in the Sea of Japan.

Peculiarities of Ownership to Sunken Property Located in the Territorial Waters of the Russian Federation

The paper is devoted to the analysis of various aspects of the legal regulation of ownership to sunken property located within the territorial waters of the Russian Federation. The following areas of application of the rules governing the ownership to sunken (submerged) property are considered as the subject of regulation of ownership to sunken property and geographical arrangement in relation with regard to maritime areas. The author justifies the expediency of the Russian Federation’s accession to the International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks of 2007 that regulates the universal mechanism of liability insurance for the removal of wrecks. It is concluded that it is necessary for Russian courts to take into account the judicial and arbitration practice of dispute resolution arising from the application of unified norms that have accumulated in the States Parties to international treaties on the law of the sea. Numerous legal gaps have been identified in the special legal regulation of ownership of sunken property that are proposed to be eliminated by legislative amendments. The author dwells on the necessity of defining a clear procedure for the removal and destruction of sunken objects, ways of exercising the rights of persons who accidentally raised sunken property, as well as consideration of the issue of submerged ships and vessels that plays an important role in the protection of the environment from pollution by harmful substances and ensuring the safety of navigation at the state level by adopting a federal program in Russia on raising, removal, disposal of sunken property also as an objective before different departments. As a conclusion, the author emphasizes the need to register all submerged objects in the territorial waters of Russia on a specialized account in order to prevent unauthorized work on such objects, declare by a special government decree all submerged ships and vessels containing the remains of the soldiers killed in action as military graves, as well as conduct systematic scientific and technical studies of all submerged objects in order to identify the real environmental safety of the marine environment.

Modern state for stocks of Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring Clupea pallasii at the coast of Sakhalin Island and southern Kuril Islands

Data of bottom trawl surveys at southwestern Sakhalin and surveys of the herring spawning grounds at southern Sakhalin and Kuril Islands are summarized, with assessment of the spawning grounds size and the eggs density in clutches. Fishery statistics and media reports are overviewed, as well. The stock of the Sakhalin-Hokkaido population increases since 2015, both off southwestern and southeastern coasts of Sakhalin, in the Aniva Bay, and at southern Kuril Islands. Number of the spawning herring increases everywhere within the Russian waters, as well as the size of spawning grounds and the density of eggs laying. In particular, the biomass of spawning herring was estimated in 2020 as 35.5 . 103 t at southwestern Sakhalin and 62.5 . 103 t at southeastern Sakhalin; it was 21.6 . 103 t in the Aniva Bay in 2021; the total catch of herring in the waters at Sakhalin Island and southern Kuril Islands reached 8.3 . 103 t in 2021. The stock of Sakhalin-Hokkaido herring is restoring after long depression, so this species is capable to return to the list of the major objects for fishery in the Sakhalin- Kuril region of Russia.