Purpose of the work: analysis of the development of fisheries development in Russia in the first two decades of the 21st century, assessment of stock state and catches of fish resources, and identification of major factors of influence on these resources and fisheries.

Methods used: the main source of information on the production in Russian fisheries was annual data on catches of fish and other aquatic biological resources and data on aquaculture production —  Form No. 1-P (fish). Сatches and yields of fish resources were analyzed based on the operative reporting of enterprises and data of the industry monitoring system. For access and initial processing, the FMS analyst software was used.

Novelty: an analysis of the regulatory and legal framework development is presented, materials from Russian fisheries for 2000–2020 are summarized and analyzed.

Practical significance: the development of any type of economic activity is a continuous, but heterogeneous process, with periods of growth and decline of varying duration. Fishery is no exception. Throughout its history, the industrial fisheries in Russia have gone through a series of stages associated with changes in fisheries technology and evolution of fishing vessel design. The development of industrial fisheries was also related to such objective conditions as long-term climate changes, which influenced the state of fisheries resources.

The purpose of the work is to review of Russian fisheries evolution and modern condition in the Northern Fishery Basin in the first decades of the 21st century to improve the Russian fishery management.

The work is based on the data collected by the Polar Branch of the «VNIRO» (N. M. Knipovich «PINRO»), the data of the ICES Working Group on Arctic Fisheries, the decisions of the Joint Norwegian-R ussian Fisheries Commission sessions, the results of the Russian- Norwegian research surveys for the assessment of pelagic and demersal fish stocks and information about the Russian fishing fleet structure and fishing activities.

Relevants and findings. The summarized materials on the evolution and modern status of the Russian fisheries in the Barents Sea as the main fisheries are in the north-w estern Russia at the beginning of the 21st century are presented for the first time. The dynamics of stocks and catches of demersal and pelagic fish in 2000–2020 was analyzed. In the observed period in the Barents Sea, the highest biomass of stocks and catches were characteristic of bottom fish species, while stocks and catches of pelagic fish were at an average or even low level. In general, the first decades of the 21st century were favorable for the Russian fishery in the Barents Sea. Additionally, the current state of fisheries in the White and the Kara seas, which are significantly different from the Barents Sea by environmental conditions, legal status and marine biological resources, are considered. Commercial stocks there are significantly underutilized by the Russian fishery. In the Barents Sea, while maintaining fish stocks biomasses at the current levels following by the continuing the hydrologically warm period in the Arctic, the stabilization of the Russian catch at the levels close to existing values is expected.

Practical importance. The results obtained will improve the efficiency of the Russian fishing fleet operated in the Northern Fishery Basin.

The aim of this article: to assess the condition and level of exploitation of commercial fish species in the Russian parts of the Baltic Sea (including the Gulf of Finland), the Curonian and Kaliningrad (Vistula) Lagoons.

Methods used: the stocks of commercial fish species in the Baltic Sea and its bays are transboundary. For several decades, as part of the international regulation of fisheries in the Baltic Sea, scientific cooperation has been carried out between the countries of the European Union and the Russian Federation at the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). During the period from 1992 to the present, AtlantNIRO has organized and carried out a significant amount of comprehensive research work in the Baltic Sea. In total, more than 70 hydroacoustic, bottom and environmental surveys were completed. Long-term (more than 60 years) studies of aquatic biological resources of commercial fish species are also carried out in the Curonian and Kaliningrad (Vistula) Lagoons. For many years, scientific cooperation has been carried out on the study of the bays with the Lithuanian and Polish republics, respectively.

Novelty: in the modern period, analysis of research on the state and exploitation of stocks of commercial fish species in the Russian part of the Baltic is carried out for the first time.

Result: the volume of production of aquatic biological resources (ABR) in the Baltic Sea has currently reached an “extreme high point”, and a slight decrease should be expected in the near future. In the Curonian and Kaliningrad (Vistula) Lagoons, the condition of the stocks of the main commercial fish is satisfactory, which allows for stable production of aquatic fish.

Practical significance: in modern conditions, information on the state of fish stocks in the region will allow solving problems of managing these resources, including planning for the near future the possible volumes of their production by fishing organizations.

The aim to review the state of stocks and fishing against the background of changes in habitat conditions, commercial fish species of the Azov and Black Seas for the period 2000–2020.

Materials: Regular scientific research, including: hydrological, hydrochemical, hydrobiological studies, bottom trawl and pelagic lamparian ichthyological surveys; collection and analysis of commercial biological information; analysis of commercial statistical data.

Novelty: The dynamics of the values and state of stocks of commercial fish species in the conditions of climate change is shown. In the Black Sea, the increase in the average temperature of the mixed layer, the deepening of the upper boundary of the thermocline in the summer, as well as the slowdown in the cooling of the sea in the autumn-winter period has a negative impact on the productivity of the boreal ichthyofauna and the sprat (sprat) fishery; changes the timing and intensity of migrations of some species of the Mediterranean ichthyofauna, their wintering sites, areas of formation of commercial clusters and, accordingly, the effectiveness of fishing. In the Sea of Azov, the increase in salinity caused by a steady reduction in the volume of freshwater runoff of the Don and Kuban rivers and its replacement by advection of the Black Sea waters is the most important abiotic factor in changing habitat conditions. The increase in the salinity of the Sea of Azov has led to the transformation of traditional hydro- and ichthyocenoses. The gradual transition of the Sea of Azov under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation makes it possible to more effectively apply resource-saving and resource-restoring measures in order to develop the fisheries potential of this inland sea.

As results: the results obtained in this work on the assessment of the impact of anthropogenic and climatic changes will be used to clarify the projected production (catch) of commercial fish.

The aim: to study the distribution, population dynamics and rational use of commercial fish species in the Southern fishery region of the Volga-Caspian fishery basin in 2000–2020. Particular attention was paid to the possibility of resuming the domestic fishing of Caspian keels, which constitute a reserve of the raw material base for increasing the Russian catch in the Caspian Sea.

Materials: in the period 2000–2020, field and expedition work was carried out annually on research and fishing vessels at standard landfills in the areas of the Northern Caspian Sea, as well as the delta and delta-front of the Volga River, where intensive industrial fishing is conducted. Along with the expedition research data, various statistical materials and Internet information were used.

As results: — a nalysis of the state of the raw material base of commercial fish species for the period 2000–2020 and proposals for rational exploitation.

Practical value: obtained result can be used to rationalize the management of stocks of commercial fish species. 

The purpose of the work: characteristics of the raw material base of marine fish in the Far Eastern fishery basin and an assessment of the effectiveness of its use by domestic fisheries at the present stage (2000–2020).

Methods used: to achieve this goal, data on biomass, catch and development of the main commercial marine fish were analyzed. Fish catches were reviewed based on operational information about the fishery based on daily ship reports from the industry monitoring system.

Novelty: elements of novelty are generalized modern materials on biomass, catch and development of marine fish resources in the Far Eastern seas and adjacent waters of the Pacific Ocean. The current state of commercial fish stocks (walleye pollock, Pacific cod, saffron cod, Pacific herring, Righteye flounders, greenlings, Japanese pilchard, Chub mackerel, Pacific saury) in the Far Eastern fishing basin can be characterized as stable, and the distribution of the catch of these objects among individual fishing areas due to their significant volumes is practically determines the distribution of catch of both quota and non-quota species of marine fish. Scientific information support for the above-m entioned fish is at a high level, their biological condition is generally favorable, and the dynamics of their numbers is regulated mainly by habitat variability.

Practical significance: the results of this study can be used in forecasting the dynamics of aquatic biological resources, and the results obtained on marine fish stocks and fisheries will improve the efficiency of using their raw material base.

The aim: to analyze the development of domestic fisheries in the Atlantic and Southeastern Pacific Oceans in 2000–2020, to assess the state of stocks and catch of the most important types of aquatic biological resources.

Methods: conducting trawl-a coustic, ichthyological and hydrological accounting studies in 2000–2020. Analysis of domestic and foreign literature.

Novelty: the article presents an up-to-date analysis of the development of Russian fishing, the intensity of fishing and the state of exploited stocks of commercial fish species.

Results: Information is provided on the status and dynamics of stocks and catch of commercial aquatic organisms in various areas of the Atlantic and southeastern Pacific Ocean. During the period under review, the highest biomass of stocks and catch are observed in pelagic fish species in the North-East Atlantic. The state of stocks and catch of bottom fish species in the far North Atlantic regions are at an average or low level. In general, in the first two decades of the XXI century, favorable conditions for conducting domestic fishing were noted. For the Central-Eastern Atlantic area (EEZ of Morocco and Mauritania), information is provided on the status of the main commercial fish stocks. Particular attention was paid to the possibility of resuming the domestic tuna and mackerel fishery in the south-e astern Pacific Ocean.

Practical significance: the results of the analysis can be used to make management decisions on the development and regulation of fishing.

The purpose of the work is to describe the changes of resources of commercial invertebrates in Russia and to analyze its use over the mentioned period.

The research methods consisted in summarizing information on the state of the resources of commercial invertebrates in the seas of Russia and analyzing of the data of fishing statistics for 2000–2020.

Results of the study are a description of the changes that have occurred with the main stocks of commercial invertebrates in the seas of Russia and the features of fishery, with an assessment of the current state of stocks.

Discussion. The number of stocks for fishery prediction increased during the first two decades of the XXI century due to finding of new commercial fishery subjects. At the same time, a number of invertebrate stock units have lost their commercial significance over the past two decades of the XXI century. Сhanges in the structure of the resources and fishery of commercial invertebrates happened. The structure of invertebrates resources of the Far Eastern Fisheries basin proved to be the most conservative, while the importance of new fishing subjects significantly increased in the Northern and Azov-Black Sea fisheries basins.

The novelty of the work lies in the analysis of the state invertebrates resources in the seas of Russia and their fishery in 2000–2020.

Conclusion. In general, the fishery resources of invertebrates in the Russian Seas were fairly stable during 2000 to 2020, and ensured an increase in catch due to more full use.

Purpose: analysis of stocks and harvest of marine mammals in the coastal waters of Russia in 2000–2020.

Method: collection and analysis of statistics data on the harvest of marine mammals provided by the territorial bodies of the Federal Agency for Fishery, as well as the results of a survey of the indigenous population about their harvest. The capture of marine mammals to ensure the traditional way of life of the indigenous population of the coastal regions of Russia continues to this day.

Novelty: presents new data on the state of stocks and harvest of marine mammals in the coastal waters of Russia in 2000–2020.

Results: By the beginning of the 21st century, commercial harvest for marine mammals had practically ceased for economic reasons. The trapping of marine mammals to ensure the traditional way of life of the indigenous population of the coastal regions of Russia continues to this day. The most intensive use of marine mammals is observed in Chukotka, where cetaceans, walruses and true seals are hunted. The meat and fat of marine mammals is used by the indigenous population for food purposes, as well as food for domestic dogs and fur-bearing animals when they are kept in cages. In Kamchatka, Sakhalin and along the entire mainland coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, the harvest of marine mammals by the indigenous population is significantly lower than in Chukotka. In these areas, seal fat is used for medical purposes. In remote villages of the Far North, hunted seals and beluga whales are also used for food, but collecting statistics on their production in these areas is difficult and is based on expert estimates. For a long time after the cessation of commercial fishing, the stocks of marine mammals were not assessed. Only thanks to federal funding of environmental projects of the Russian Academy of Sciences, thanks to Russian-A merican cooperation in the field of marine mammal research and the support of environmental organizations, new information has been obtained about marine mammal stocks in the last two decades of the 21st century. It is shown that despite the cessation of industrial harvesting of marine mammals, there is no significant increase in their stocks.

The aim: Stock assessment of commercial algae and seagrasses in the sea waters of Russian Federation and their fishery in 2000–2020.

Method: The present article is based on original and statistical data obtained in 2000–2020 in accordance with standard methods of fisheries research.

Novelty: The analysis has revealed the present status of commercial algae and seagrasses resources in the seawaters of Russian Federation as well as the reasons for low exploitation rates of these resources.

Result: Algae and seagrasses resources in the seawaters of Russian Federation have hardly changed during last 20 years and remain stable. Algae harvesting is relatively well developed only in White Sea and Japan Sea. Total biomass of commercial algae and seagrasses resources in the sea waters of Russian Federation estimates at 1.6 million tons, and annual recommended catch —  at 250 thousand tons.

Practical significance: The results of present analysis have reveal modern trends of algae fishery development and allow to elaborate science-based approaches for conservation and sustainable management of these resources.