Objective: to study the distribution, biology, size composition, and growth characteristics of Atka mackerel in four Russian fishing areas (the West Bering Sea zone, the Karaginskaya and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka subzones of the East Kamchatka zone, and the North Kuril zone).

Methods: Data collection and processing were conducted in accordance with generally accepted ichthyological methods. Age was determined by otoliths.

Novelty: Specific growth characteristics of Atka mackerel in the North Kuril zone were identified, including the absence of significant differences in the linear growth of males and females, which was reflected in the size structure of the catches.

Results: the research demonstrated gradual variability in the growth of Atka mackerel, with an increase in the linear size of individuals observed from north to south — from the West Bering Sea zone to the Petropavlovsk-Komandorsky subzone. This variability in size, as well as specific growth patterns in the North Kuril zone, indi­cate heterogeneity among Atka mackerel populations across the vast aquatory of the northwestern Pacific shelf. Given the species’ relatively low migratory activity, the existence of several distinct groups (subpopulations) adapted to local conditions can be assumed.

Practical significance: the results can be used to estimate the abundance of Atka mackerel, develop TACs, and plan rational use, taking into account regional growth patterns.

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.

The aim of the work: to clarify the species composition, distribution and abundance of macrophytes in the coastal zone of Eastern Sakhalin.

Methods used: the analysis was carried out on the basis of literature sources and natural data of 1999–2024.

Result: the analysis of literature data and our own research allow us to obtain results on the species composition, distribution and prospects for the use of macrophytes of Eastern Sakhalin. According to the species com- position and distribution of macrophytes, the coastal zone of Eastern Sakhalin is divided into three sections: northeastern, southeastern, and Aniva Bay. The list of macrophytobenthos species of the littoral and upper sublittoral consisted of 265 species of algae and 8 species of sea grasses. The greatest diversity is observed on the southern part and in the Aniva Bay. The coastal waters of Aniva Bay are also considered the most productive area of Eastern Sakhalin. Extensive algal beds are found here, including a significant stock of the main commercial species, Saccharina japonica. Despite significant fluctuations in commercial attribute over the past 15 years, a decrease in the area of its beds and the commercial stock in Aniva Bay has been observed.

Practical ingenuity: recommendations have been developed for the possible use of macrophytobenthos of Eastern Sakhalin.

The goal of this study is to summarize the results of the 2016–2025 fishery, characterizing the distribution and abundance of Japanese sardine in the exclusive economic zone of Russia and adjacent waters of the north-western Pacific Ocean. The Russian sardine fishery is characterized in the current period of stock expansion, its features in different years, taking into account the development of oceanographic conditions in the waters off the Kuril Islands.

The methods used: the study is based on the analysis of fishery statistics for 1980–1990 and 2016–2025 in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, based on ship daily reports (VDR) and the positions of vessels of the Monitoring System of the Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo). The analysis of oceanographic conditions was conducted using data from the JMA (Japan Meteorological Agency) and the HYCOM Ocean Research Center, AVHRR and MODIS satellite images, and ship hydrological observations.

Novelty: This paper presents the results of the Russian sardine fishery from 2016 to 2025, describing the characteristics of oceanographic conditions for each year during this period. The influence of oceanographic conditions on the migration patterns and distribution of sardines in the northwestern Pacific Ocean is shown.

Results: The development of the oceanology conditions in the spring and early summer of 2025 significantly influenced the overall pattern of sardine feeding migrations and distribution in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Spring migrations from Japanese waters were shifted eastward and took place in open waters; as a result, commercially valuable sardine schools prevented them from entering Russian waters near the Kuril Islands. The development of oceanographic conditions in the area of the Oyashio-Kuroshio.  

Practical significance: The obtained results will be used for further research on the dynamics of the Japanese sardine population in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

Purpose: To summarize the results of the 2025 European pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) fishing season in the Northern Fishery Basin, as well as to discuss the reasons that led to the achieved catch volumes.

Methods: Catch data were obtained from reports of the Severomorsk and Northwestern Territorial Administrations of Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries, observation of juvenile pink salmon was conducted using standard methods, and NOAA data were used to construct sea surface temperature maps.

Novelty: This paper presents new data on the catch from the past 2025 fishing season.

Result: The 2025 European pink salmon fishing season was successful, but the forecast was not met — the total catch in the five regions of the White and Barents Seas basins (Murmansk Oblast, Republic of Karelia, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Republic of Komi) amounted to about 9% of the forecasted values.

Practical Significance: The odd-year generation of introduced European pink salmon returns to spawn every two years; therefore, summarizing the results of each fishing season allows us to retain valuable data for organizing fishing operations in subsequent years.

The aim of the work was to evaluate the effect of stress during transportation with high planting density on the physiological state and hematological parameters of yearling carp (Cyprinus carpio).

Methods: the experiment was conducted on two groups of fish (average weight 77,4 ± 27,7 g) transported in sealed bags for 24 hours. The control group was transported with a density of 175 g/l without air conditioning, the experimental group with a density of 368 g/l with the addition of an industrial water conditioner (1,25 ml/l). Blood was taken from the tail vein three times for analysis: one week before the experiment, immediately after transportation, and after 6 hours of recovery. The leukocyte formula, erythrogram, SPK index (total cell count) and morphometry of erythrocytes were determined by light microscopy of stained smears.

Novelty: it has been shown for the first time that the use of a specialized water conditioner makes it possible to safely increase the density of carp planting during transportation by more than 2 times (up to 368 g/l), minimizing stress-induced changes in hematological parameters compared to the standard regime.

Results: transportation caused an acute stress response in both groups: an increase in the proportion of neutrophils and a decrease in the proportion of lymphocytes. However, in the experimental group with air conditioning, these changes were significantly less pronounced (a decrease in lymphocytes to 81,0% versus 70,0% in the control). 6 hours after transportation, the hematological parameters of the fish in the experimental group recovered to their initial level faster and more completely than in the control group.

Practical significance: the data obtained proves the effectiveness of using water conditioners to increase carp stocking density during transportation without compromising their physiological condition. The identified hematological markers (neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, SPK index) can be used for rapid assessment of stress levels in fish, which will optimize logistics in aquaculture and reduce economic losses.

The aim of the paper is to characterize the long-term variability of Atlantic water temperature in the Barents Sea in 1900–2023 and to assess the possibility of its forecasting using hydrometeorological and astrogeophysical factors.

The material for the study was water temperature in the Kola section, climate indices (global surface temperature index for the Northern Hemisphere, indices of the North Atlantic, North Pacific and Atlantic Multidecadal oscillations) and astrogeophysical parameters (solar activity, total solar irradiance, pole coordinates and rotation axis nutation of the Earth) for 1900–2023.

Methods of descriptive statistics as well as comparative, correlation, regression and harmonic analyses were applied.

Results: The year-to-year changes in Atlantic water temperature in the Barents Sea in 1900–2023 were characterized, with an intensive increase (0.37 °C per 10 years) occurring since the late 1970s. Two cold (1900–1929, 1963–1988) and two warm (1930–1962, 1989–2023) periods were distinguished, with the modern warming being stronger. Multiple linear regression equations were constructed to forecast Barents Sea water temperature for 2 and 6 years ahead. The most adequate regression model was selected for practical use. It includes the winter North Atlantic Oscillation index (contribution of 11%), the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation index (28%), solar activity (5%), and the X-coordinate of the Earth’s pole (11%). Experimental forecasts of water temperature in the Kola section have been compiled for 2024–2029, according to which it will remain at a high level in the coming years.

Practical significance: The obtained results are useful for a better understanding of the causes of interannual variability of water temperature in the Barents Sea and can be used for its long-term forecasting.

This study aims to identify the lead content in the muscle and hepatopancreas of the main commercial crustaceans from the Barents Sea.

The material for this study was the samples of red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus, snow crab Chionoecetes opilio and northern shrimp Pandalus borealis caught during the research cruises conducted by «PINRO» from 2014 to 2024.

This study examines the samples of muscles collected from crustaceans, as well as the samples of hepatopancreas collected crabs.

Novelty: for the first time, a comparative analysis of Pb content in Kamchatka crab, snow crab, and northern shrimp from the Barents Sea was performed using a large volume of material. Natural Pb levels in the muscles of the studied crabs and northern shrimp from the Barents Sea were proposed, which should be considered as a regional background.

Methods used: the lead in samples was detected by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry using Shimadzu (Japan) spectrophotometer. Processing of statistical data and diagram plotting were performed in MS Excel and Statistica 13 application package. Results: It was shown that the average Pb content in the muscle and hepatopancreas of the studied aquatic organisms did not exceed the established permissible content standard of 10 mg/kg wet weight. A higher average Pb content was noted in shrimp muscle compared to crabs. The Pb content in the hepatopancreas of the studied crabs was 2.6 and 8.5 times higher than that in muscle. An assumption was made about pronounced species- specific Pb levels in the muscle of the snow crab opilio. Estimated background levels of Pb content in the muscles of the red king crab, snow crab, and northern shrimp of the Barents Sea are proposed, which can be used to identify anthropogenic impacts.

Practical relevance: the obtained results were used to estimate the compliance with safety standards for commercial invertebrates established by the technical regulations of the Customs Union accepted in Russia (ТР CU 021/2011 «On food safety»).

The objective of this study was to determine current levels and patterns of accumulation of the most toxic heavy metals in whitefish species in rivers and lakes of the Taimyr Peninsula, as an indicator of anthropogenic pollution in the region.

The study was based on the results of a survey of eight whitefish species from 10 water bodies in the Norilo-Pyasinskaya lake-river system. A total of 148 fish samples of various species were analyzed for cadmium, lead, nickel, and mercury, as well as 75 samples for copper.

Novelty: For the first time, estimates have been provided and possible patterns of cadmium, lead, nickel, copper, and mercury concentrations in the muscles of a wide range of whitefish species in water bodies of the Taimyr Peninsula have been determined. Methods used: Heavy metals in fish muscles were determined using atomic absorption with electrothermal atomization and flameless atomic absorption. Statistical data processing was performed in MS Excel and the Statistica 14.0 application package.

Results: The concentrations of the studied heavy metals in the muscles of whitefish species generally did not exceed the safe thresholds set by both the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union and the European Commission regulations. The distribution of cadmium and mercury by fish species, water bodies, and ecological groups showed statistically significant differences, while for other metals, it was random. It should be noted that the influence of the Norilsk industrial region on heavy metal concentrations in fish muscles was apparently not observed and could have been due to natural causes.

Practical significance: The obtained results were used to establish the compliance of the main valuable commercial fish species in the region with the requirements of the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union adopted in Russia.

The objective of the study is to examine methodological approaches to forecasting the financial consequences of institutional transformations in the Pacific salmon fishing sector of Kamchatka Krai.

The results demonstrate that the calculation of net present value demonstrates the differentiation of the financial consequences of institutional transformations depending on the enterprises’ affiliation with different clusters.

The study materials include official data from the Federal Agency for Fisheries and the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “VNIRO” on the catch of the main Pacific salmon species, customs statistics of importing countries, data from Rosstat, Rosselkhoznadzor, and the Center for Fisheries and Tourism Development on the production and turnover of salmon caviar, as well as price information from industry news agencies.

The research methods include two econometric models: a one-dimensional time series model and a cluster model. Scientific novelty: an analysis of institutional transformations in one segment of the domestic fisheries industry was performed, and a forecast of the financial consequences of these transformations was calculated.

The practical significance of the study is confirmed by the fact that the main findings of the study were used to refine the regulatory framework, and the incompleteness of institutional reforms increases the demand for a scientifically based forecast of their financial consequences.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics of demand for fish products and assess the relationship between personal fish consumption and consumer wealth.

We use methods for constructing and analyzing an econometric model that describes the response of consumer demand to changes in household wealth. The key indicator for assessing this response is the income elasticity of demand.

The novelty of this approach lies in the development of a simple and functional model for solving applied problems of demand management for fish products.

The main result of the study is an assessment of the relationship between the wealth of Russian households and per capita fish consumption.

The practical significance of our solution is its potential for use in management decisions aimed at increasing personal consumption of fish products and reducing social differences in its magnitude.

Purpose: to characterize the processes of transformation of the global fishery in the context of the accelerated development of aquaculture under the influence of factors of various origins.

Method: the study employs the method of constructing relative values of structure, dynamics, comparison and intensity; calculation of descriptive characteristics of distribution; assessment of the rank correlation coefficient; time series modeling.

Novelty: a detailed analysis is conducted of the influence of transformation factors in fisheries and the growing role of aquaculture, taking into account the differentiation of conditions and production features in individual sectors of the industry; the importance of linking economic and biological factors in analyzing the directions and development prospects of aquaculture species is substantiated.

Results: the role of various factors in the feasibility and intensity of aquaculture development is demonstrated and assessed; key factors highlighted include the growth of global demand for fishery products, the limitation and depletion of natural resources, the differentiation of various aquaculture branches by labor intensity and resource consumption, the market level of ex-farm prices, production profitability, biological characteristics of aquatic animal species, as well as societal attitudes toward the quality disparity between aquaculture products and wild-caught products; using ARIMA models built on data from 1950 to 2023 for each aggregated group of aquaculture products, the statistical behavior of their dynamic series is described, providing insight into development patterns and forecasting capabilities; a short-term forecast of production volumes is made for the main aquaculture product groups, based on which the expected direction of the industry’s transformation in the coming years is predicted.

Objective: To present preliminary results of a study of the status of aquatic biological resources and their habitats in the Mozambique area.

Materials and Methods: A bottom trawl survey was conducted in the Mozambique area from March to May 2025 on the STM Atlantis to estimate the biomass of demersal fish and invertebrates. The comprehensive survey also included hydrometeorological, oceanographic, hydrochemical, hydrobiological, and ichthyological studies. The work was carried out in accordance with modern Russian and international methodologies.

Results: The environmental conditions were characterized by the following features: variability of weather parameters from 7 to 30 days, active meandering of the Mozambique Current, noticeable freshening of surface waters (0–10 m), the presence of several pronounced layers of jumps in thermohaline and hydrochemical parameters of waters in the depth range from the surface to 1000 m. The distribution of seston and chlorophyll «a» was closely associated with areas of water upwelling, as well as with the influx of biogens onto the shelf with river runoff. The total estimated biomass of aquatic biological resources was 246,000 tons. The demersal community was characterized by high species diversity — 611 fish species and 258 invertebrate taxa. Among fish, the largest biomass was observed among the cigar jack mackerel, common scimitarfish, cleavers, and Lessepsian saurid. Invertebrates accounted for approximately 15% of the total biomass. Acoustic monitoring of the survey did not reveal significant commercial aggregations of fish or invertebrates.

Novelty: Up-to-date data on the status of aquatic biological resources and their habitats were obtained. Practical Relevance:

The results will be used to assess fishery prospects and prepare recommendations for fisheries management in the Mozambique area.

In order to obtain information about the current state of the marine biota in the high-latitude part of the Arctic, including commercial and potentially commercial hydrobionts, and to continue the work on landscape mapping of the distribution of aquatic biological resources (ABR) in the coastal zone of the Franz Josef Land archipelago, joint expeditionary studies of the littoral and sublittoral zones of Alexandra Land were conducted in April and August 2025 with the Russian Geographical Society. During the work, standard hydrobiological methods and tools for collecting primary material were used, as well as the Chasing mini underwater drone. As a result of the research, instrumental data on the habitat of aquatic biological resources was collected, ichthyological surveys and collection of samples of marine invertebrates were carried out, and photos and videos of bottom communities were obtained. Novelty. For the first time, an underwater unmanned aerial ve- hicle was used in the research area, including for point- based collection of hydrological samples directly at the locations of the network orders.

The aim: assessment of stocks and prospects of fishing for aquatic biological resources off the southern Kuril Islands and southeastern Sakhalin.

Methods: data collection was carried out in accordance with generally accepted methods in ichthyological practice. The bottom trawl DT/TV 27.1/24.4 was used as a fishing gear.

Innovations: up-to-date data on the composition, ratio, abundance, and biomass of nekton in the southern Kuril Islands and southeastern Sakhalin in the autumn of 2026 have been obtained.

Results: a bottom trawl survey was conducted to assess the stocks of aquatic organisms off the southern Kuril Islands and southeastern Sakhalin, which totaled 24,3 billion specimens and 899,9 thousand tons, of which cod accounted for about 70% of the abundance and 65% of the biomass. 106 species of fish from 27 families were recorded in bottom trawl catches in the southern Kuril Islands, while 108 species of fish from 23 families were recorded in southeastern Sakhalin. An analysis of the spatial distribution of cod showed that during the research period, its densest clusters were located on the traverse of the bay Kasatka, south of Cape Aniva and in the southwestern part of the bay Aniva. While the juveniles of the saffron were mainly located in the South Kuril Strait, and large individuals — in the bay Terpenia. In the Southern Kuril family, one of the dominants was the southern rock sole, the main aggregations of which were located in the South Kuril Strait and at the southern tip of the island Iturup. In turn, Sakhalin’s flounder catches were dominated by yellowfin flounder, its dense accumulations were noted in the northern part of the bay Terpenia.

The practical significance: the results of the study will serve as the basis for developing materials for forecasting the total number of species of aquatic biological resources in the southern Kuril Islands and southeastern Sakhalin.

The purpose to present data obtained during monitoring of four species: sockeye salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, coho salmon approaches to Paramushir Island in the Northern Kuril Islands in 2025. Methods used: material collection and biological analysis were carried out using generally accepted methods. The research material for biological analysis was collected at the bases of the fish processing companies LLC «Alaid» and JSK «North Kuril Seiner Fleet Base». Results: the approaches of Pacific salmon during pre-spawning migration off the coast of Paramushir Island were not numerous. Pink salmon accounted — for 34.7% of the total catch in the North Kuril zone in 2025, chum salmon for 29.2%, and sockeye salmon — for 28.2%. Coho salmon accounted for the lowest share at 7.9%. A biological analysis of 896 Pacific salmon specimens was conducted, and the age of 579 specimens was determined. Innovations: up-to-date data on the ratio of species diversity in Pacific salmon runs, as well as their biological characteristics in 2025, were obtained. Practical significance: the obtained results will form the basis for developing materials for projected Pacific salmon harvest (catch) volumes in the northern Kuril Islands.