Assessing the impact of Russian fisheries on cetaceans in the Barents Sea
https://doi.org/10.36038/2307-3497-2026-203-18-30
EDN: FVUAGW
Abstract
The aim of the paper is to assess the impact of Russian fisheries on cetaceans in the Barents Sea.
The material was based on long-term data on encounters with cetaceans collected in trawl- acoustic surveys, information from observers on fishing vessels and from the fishermen themselves, and data on the areas where Russian fishing takes place in the Barents Sea.
Methods: geoprocessing and mapping of the studied parameters, comparative analysis of the data.
Results: in ice-free, offshore waters of the Barents Sea, 9 main species of cetaceans were recorded. Their distribution significantly overlapped with Russian fisheries, primarily bottom trawl and longline fishing. The actual impact of fishing activity on whales was generally minor and affected the minke whale, humpback whale, sperm whale, northern bottlenose whale, and white-beaked dolphin. Based on recordings of their interactions with a particular type of fishing gear, the main areas of influence of Russian fisheries on cetaceans were identified — these are the waters in the south-east, north-east, and west of the Barents Sea. The humpback whale was found to be the most vulnerable to Russian fishing activity, and crab traps were identified as the most dangerous type of gear, with entanglements occurring in their lines, mainly involving humpback whales, leading to the death of the whales.
Practical significance: the results of the completed research can be used in studying the habitat conditions of cetaceans in the Barents Sea, in assessing their stocks and their impact on fisheries.
About the Authors
R. N. Klepikovskiy
Polar branch of VNIRO (N. M. Knipovich «PINRO»)
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
6, Academician Knipovich St., Murmansk, 183038
V. A. Ivshin
Polar branch of VNIRO (N. M. Knipovich «PINRO»)
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
6, Academician Knipovich St., Murmansk, 183038
References
1. Artyukhin Yu.B., Burkanov V. N., Nikulin V. S. 2010. Bycatch of seabirds and mammals in the salmon driftnet fishery in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Moscow: Speed of Color. 64 p. (In Russ.).
2. Belonovich O. A., Burkanov V. N. 2012. The influence of killer whales (Orcinus orca) on the longline fishery of black halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) in the Sea of Okhotsk // Marine Mammals of the Holarctic. Mat. 7th Intern. Conf. Suzdal, September 24–28). M. V. 1. P. 86–90. (In Russ.).
3. Bizikov V. A ., Alekseev D. O., Abaev A . D., Artemenkov D. V., Afeychuk L. S., Bakanev S. V. et al. 2024. Raw material base of commercial invertebrates and its development in the seas of Russia in 2000–2020 // Trudy VNIRO. V. 195. P. 142–204. DOI: 10.36038/2307‑3497‑2024‑195‑142‑204. (In Russ.).
4. Blokhin I. A. 2019. On the interaction of marine mammals with fishing vessels in the pollock and herring fisheries in the Sea of Okhotsk in the winter-spring period of 2017 // Studies of aquatic biological resources of Kamchatka and the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. Iss. 54. P. 7–22. DOI: 10.15853/2072‑8212.2019.54.7‑22 (In Russ.).
5. G r e kov A . A . , D o l g ov A . V. , Kova l e v Yu . A . , M u k h i n V. A . , Prozorkevich D. V., Sokolov K. M., Yaragina N. A. 2024. The state of domestic fisheries in the Northern fisheries basin at the beginning of the 21st century // Trudy VNIRO. V. 195. P. 12– 23. DOI: 10.36038/2307‑3497‑202‑195‑12‑23. (In Russ.).
6. Study of ecosystems of fishery water bodies, collection and processing of data on aquatic biological resources, equipment and technology of their extraction and processing. 2004. Issue 1. Instructions and methodological recommendations for the collection and processing of biological information in the seas of the European North and the North Atlantic. 2nd ed., corrected and enlarged. Moscow: VNIRO Publish. 299 p. (In Russ.).
7. Klepikovskiy R. N., Shestopal I. P. 2006. High-browed bottlenose merganser (Hyperoodon ampullatus) of the Barents Sea: distribution in autumn, interaction with fishing vessels // Marine mammals of the Holarctic. Mat. IV Inter. Conf. St. Petersburg, September 10–14). St. Petersburg. P. 246–249. (In Russ.).
8. Klepikovskiy R. N., Ivshin V. A. 2022. Analysis of the occurrence of cetaceans in the Barents Sea and some factors determining their distribution in the autumn-winter period 2007–2019 // Trudy VNIRO. V. 188. P. 87–97. DOI: 10.36038/2307‑3497‑2022‑188‑87‑97. (In Russ.).
9. Klepikovskiy R. N., Ivshin V. A., Trofimov A. G. 2024. Features of the distribution and habitat conditions of cetaceans in the Barents Sea in the summer-autumn period 2004–2021 // Trudy VNIRO. V. 196. P. 48–62. DOI: 10.36038/2307‑3497‑2024‑196‑48‑62. (In Russ.).
10. Kornev S. I., Belonovich O. A ., Nikulin S. V. 2014. Killer whales (Orcinus orca) and black halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) fishery in the Sea of Okhotsk // Studies of aquatic biological resources of Kamchatka and the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Iss. 34. P. 35–50 (In Russ.).
11. Kornev S. I., Mironova A. M. 2023. Interaction of marine mammals and marine fisheries in Kamchatka waters // Studies of aquatic biological resources of Kamchatka and the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Iss. 71. P. 92–109. DOI: 10.15853/2072‑8212.2023.71.92‑109 (In Russ.).
12. Trofimov A. G., Karsakov A. L., Ivshin V. A. 2018. Climate changes in the Barents Sea over the last half-century // Trudy VNIRO. V. 173. P. 79–91. (In Russ.).
13. Basran C. J., Rasmussen M. H. 2021. Fishers and whales in Iceland: Whale interactions with fishing gear from the fishers’ perspective, with a focus on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) // Journal Cetacean Research and Management. V. 22. P. 111–128. DOI: 10.47536/jcrm.v22i1.218.
14. Benjamins S., Ledwell W., Huntington J., Davidson A. R. 2012. Assessing changes in numbers and distribution of large whale entanglements in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada // Marine Mammal Science. V. 28, Iss. 3. P. 579–601. DOI: 10.1111/j.1748‑7692.2011.00511.x.
15. Bjørge A., Moan A., Ryeng K. A., Wiig J. R. 2022. Low anthropogenic mortality of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) and killer (Orcinus orca) whales in Norwegian purse seine fisheries despite frequent entrapments // Marine Mammal Science. V. 39(2) P. 1–11. DOI: 10.1111/mms.12985.
16. Couperus A. S. 1998. Interactions between Dutch Midwater Trawl and Atlantic White-sided Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) Southwest of Ireland // Journal of Northwest Atlantic Fishery Science. V. 22: P. 209–218.
17. Fertl D., Leatherwood S. 1997. Cetacean interactions with trawls: a preliminary review. // Journal of Northwest Atlantic Fishery Science V. 22. P. 219–248. DOI: 10.2960/J.v22.a17.
18. Johnson A ., Salvador G., Kenney J., Robbins J., Kraus S., Landry S., Clapham P. 2005. Fishing gear involved in entanglements of right and humpback whales // Marine Mammal Science V. 21(4). P. 635–645. DOI: 10.1111/j.1748‑7692.2005.tb01256.x.
19. Johnson K. F., Hussey N. E., Ferguson S. H. 2021. Observation of marine mammal and bird interactions focused around a commercial fishing vessel in central Baffin Bay, Nunavut // Arctic Science. V. 7. P. 567–574. DOI: 10.1139/as‑2020‑0014
20. Kock K. H., Purves M. G., Duhamel G. 2006. Interactions between cetacean and fisheries in the Southern Ocean // Polar Biology. V. 29(5). P. 379–388. DOI 10.1007/s00300–005–0067–4.
21. Kot B. W., Sears R., Anis A., Nowacek D. P., Gedamke J., Marshall C. D. 2012. Behavioral responses of minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) to experimental fishing gear in a coastal environment // Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. V. 413. P. 13–20. DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2011.11.018.
22. Leaper R., MacLennan E., Brownlow A., Calderan S. V., Dyke K., Evans P. G.H., Hartny-Mills L, Jarvis D., McWhinnie L., Philp A., Read F. L., Robinson K. P., Ryan C. 2022. Estimates of humpback and minke whale entanglements in the Scottish static pot (creel) fishery // Endangered species research. V. 49. P. 217–232. DOI: 10.3354/esr01214.
23. Moan A., Bjørge A. 2019. By-catch of common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in Norwegian demersal trawl and longline fisheries, 2011–2020. // NAMMCO Scientific Publications V.14. P 1–4. DOI: 10.7557/3.8083.
24. Moan A. Skern-Mauritzen M., Vølstad J. H., Bjørge A. 2020. Assessing the impact of fisheries-related mortality of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) caused by incidental bycatch in the dynamic Norwegian gillnet fisheries // ICES Journal of Marine Science. V. 77(7–8). P. 3039–3049. DOI: 10.1093/icesjms/fsaa186.
25. Mul E., Blanchet M. A., Clintock B. T., Grecian W. J., Biuw M., Rikardsen A. 2020. Killer whales are attracted to herring fishing vessels // Marine ecology progress series V. 652. P. 1–13. DOI: 10.3354/meps13481.
26. Oyarbide U., Feyrer L. J., Gordon J. 2023. Sperm and northern bottlenose whale interactions with deep-water trawlers in the western North Atlantic // PLOS ONE. V. 18(8) P. 1–20. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289626.
27. Söffker M, Trathan P, Clark J, Collins MA, Belchier M, Scott R. 2015. The Impact of Predation by Marine Mammals on Patagonian Toothfish Longline Fisheries // PLoS ONE V. 10(3): P. 1–14 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118113.
Review
For citations:
Klepikovskiy R.N., Ivshin V.A. Assessing the impact of Russian fisheries on cetaceans in the Barents Sea. Trudy VNIRO. 2026;203:18-30. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.36038/2307-3497-2026-203-18-30. EDN: FVUAGW
Email this article 