Results are provided of a study of the pre-spawning routes of pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha to the Okhotsk Sea coast of Iturup Island (South Kuril Islands). The South Kuril pink salmon has two seasonal forms: early (summer) and late (autumn). The results obtained showed that pink salmon of different seasonal forms comes to the island in two ways, the early form (summer) preferably chooses the Strait of Catherine and goes north along the Okhotsk Sea coast to the Kuril Bay, and only 3 weeks later, a massive coming of pink salmon is noted through the Freez Strait and the northern part of the island to the south to the Prostor Bay. Reliable differences in the size and weight parameters of the early (summer) and late (autumn) forms are presented. From 2008 to 2011 there were two waves in the approaches of pink salmon producers. According to the change in the sex ratio during the spawning period, a change in the approach of one form of another was judged. The main catch since 2012 is the late form, the approaches of the summer pink salmon are extremely small. Discussed the status of the seasonal forms of pink salmon.

In this paper, the results of our own research conducted at hatcheries of Iturup Island during spawning approaches of chum salmon in 2014-2018 and results of the analysis of literary data on reproduction and fishery of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta near the South Kuril Islands are given. Despite the existence of modern methods for assessment of abundance and biomass of future generations, the forecasts of Pacific salmon catch are often incorrect. Now the main problem of forecasting system is associated with critically insufficient volume of data. The forecast errors are largely related to inadequacy of methods for determination of a share of fish released from different hatcheries. In our work, to forecast catch of hatchery- rearing chum salmon in 2019 and 2020, the method of calculation of return abundance for various age groups is used (by coefficient of return from released juveniles with further splitting on annual classes by the rate of maturing). The proposed method of calculation is compared to the methods developed by other specialists of fishery science. The analysis of information collected for assessment of chum salmon stock allows to suppose that quality control of biofishery statistics will increase the forecast accuracy.

Gametogenesis of brown trout Salmo trutta caspius was studied during the period of the first sexual maturation at the establishment of the brood stock at Federal artificial selection-genetics center of fish breeding «Ropsha». In females, the period of previtellogenesis in the oocytes of elder generation lasts till the age of 19-20 months, and the period of vitellogenesis till the age of 45 months. After that, the maturation of all the individuals studied was observed. Sexual maturation of the part of males took place at the age of nearly 21.5 months and in all of the males at approximately 35.5 months and again at the age of 45.5 months. Since the males could not spawn alone by themselves, the elimination of all the volume of ripe spermatozoa was observed in their gonads two or three times. The growth rate was not high, which is characteristic of salmonid fishes at the establishment of brood stocks; at the age of 45,5 months, when the fishes of both sexes reached sexual maturity, their body mass varied ath the range of 128 to 454 g. The dwarf males were not observed in the experimental group, because the growth rate did not differ in males and females during all the period of growing.

In order to continue the study of long-term dynamics of commercial hydrobionts reserves in the waters of the Varanger-fjord of the Barents Sea, in the autumn of 2015 another hydrobiological survey was conducted. During which the marked increased density of scallops of a species Palliolum tigerinum (Muller, 1776), returning to the waters isolated. Noted finding specimens of P. tigerinum on the rocky soil, which is not typical for the species. The age of the scallops was determined by ligaments using a binocular microscope. Examines the impact of current climatic changes on changing the borders of the areal of this species. Suggested the possible use of P. tigerinum as one of the indicators of the promotion of Boreal species in the Arctic zone. Attention is paid to the expediency of using the diving method of hydrobiological sampling during research works in coastal waters. This method is most informative from the point of view of obtaining objective information about the state of the bottom communities at the depths available to the diver-researcher.

Thyrotropic and gonadotropic cells of the pituitary glands of male northern fur seals in postnatal ontogenesis were studied. Special coloring methods were used (trichrome-CHIC, tetrachrome-CHIC) and electron- microscopic examination methods. The area of the nuclei and the area of the cells was measured, and the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio was determined. Histochemical and electron microscopic features of thyrotropic and gonadotropic cells were established, on the basis of which these two types of adenohypophysis endocrinocytes can be accurately determined. Gonadotropic cells have an oval shape and give an intense CHIC-positive reaction. These cells contain small secretory granules, the size of which varies from 180 to 200 nm. Secretory granules are found in large quantities and fill the entire cytoplasm of cells. Tyrotropic cells are localized mainly in the center of the pituitary gland, have a polygonal shape. Unlike gonadotropes, these cells produce a weakly CHIC-positive response. In the electron microscope, a small number of small secretory granules are detected in the cytoplasm of these cells, the size of which varies from 150 to 200 nm. Changes in cytokaryometric, histochemical, and electron-microscopic indices of thyrotropes and gonadotropes in males of northern fur seals in postnatal ontogenesis were studied. The maximum secretory activity of these cells was found in males of northern fur seals at the age of 8-10 years.

The analysis of the spatial distribution of fingerlings in the waters of the North-Western Caspian was carried out on base of 2015-2018 trawl surveys. The spatial distributions of the Russian sturgeon fingering maps were drawn and compared for 4 years. The regions where the Russian sturgeon fingerlings feed the most mass were marked. The number and the spatial distribution of fingerlings were determined in two ways: 2D spline approximation and the Voronov’s polygon method. Both methods are included in the program“Cartmaster” developed by FSBSI“VNIRO”. The fingerling number estimates in the study area fell in the range from 2.479 to 5.490 million specimen, which corresponds to 8-15% of the number of juveniles released from sturgeon hatcheries in 2015-2018. The results are used as base for predicting the stock recruitment and for estimating the contribution of sturgeon hatcheries to replenishing the Russian sturgeon population.

Based on many years of field data from the early 2000s. the inter-annual dynamics of the predicted and actual catch of aquatic biological resources (ABR) in the Russian waters of the Bering Sea is analyzed. With the tendency to reduce the forecast figures for ABR catch, their actual catches increased. On average, the annual catch of marine fish, including salmon, reached 602 thousand tons, which is 65 times more than the average number of years of invertebrates (9.3 thousand tons). The invertebrate fishery is actively developing: in 2000-2009 Their average annual catch was 5.1 thousand tons, in 2010-2015-16.1 thousand tons. The growth of catches was shown by the Commander squid, blue king crab, snow crab and bairdi tanner crab. The basis of the catch of marine fish was represented by cods, salmonids, herrings, righteye flounders and frenadiers, totaling 98.6% of the catch, or 594 thousand tons per year. The catches of fish of other families in some years did not exceed 22.4 thousand tons, with an average catch of 8.1 thousand tons per year. Since 2010, there has been a significant increase in catches of sculpins, greenlings, softnose skates, and to a lesser extent the production of smelts and rockfishes increased. When comparing the current catch of fish and the results of past fisheries (1910-2000) in the western part of the Bering Sea, an increase was observed in the fishing indices halibuts, greenlings, grenadiers, softnose skates, sculpins, and smelts. The current dynamics of the catch of marine fish and invertebrates is due to the natural fluctuations of the ABR stocks and the changes in the fishing industry occurring in historical perspective. For most ABR, there has been a trend towards an increase in recommended and actual catches, which suggests a favorable state of stocks of fish and invertebrates and an increase in their efficient use. The current state of fisheries in the western part of the Bering Sea indicates the absence of a significant field press on most fish and other objects.

The results of many years of research on reservoirs Vazuzskiy hydraulic system (Vazuzskiy GTS) provides information about the characteristics of hydrologic-hydrochemical regime, the structure of planktonic and benthic communities and modern composition of the fish fauna Vazuzskiy, Yauzskaya and Verkhnerusskoe reservoirs. According to the account of the filming of these reservoirs are shown long-term dynamics of netting catches and catches Malkova a Leveller. The change in the structure of net catches depending on the mesh step of the applied networks and the depth of the network orders is shown. It is established that during the period of operation of the reservoirs of vazuz GTS the fish part of the community of this group of reservoirs is quite stable and is represented mainly by the eurybiont species of the limnophilic ecological group. The similarity of the species composition of the ichthyofauna is explained by the hydrological connection of reservoirs through a system of channels. The causes of depression of bream populations and the increase in the value of river perch in the structure of ichthyocenoses are considered. Studied the effect of recreational fishing on populations of valuable fish ichthyophaga.

The retrospective analysis for the state of the Selenga population of Baikal omul was performed based on the biological and fishery data of pelagic morpho-ecological group. The analysis using the cohort model confirmed the continuing decrease of the spawning part biomass of the population. Coincidently, an increase of the total biomass was noticed in recent fishery years. According to model calculations significant increase of recruitment at the age of 2+ was in 2014-2015 followed by a sharp decrease. This dynamic impacted on forecasting quantitative estimates of population. The results of the analysis for 4 scenarios of spawning biomass dynamics for the period from 2018 to 2022 were presented. The differences in the scenarios were in the specified intensity of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The calculations showed that the spawning part of the Selenga population is able to recover to 2022 to the level at the beginning of 2000s approximately 900 tons by minimizing illegal fishing to a minimum.

The research results on the heavy metals and arsenic content in the water and bottom sediments of freshwater bodies of the Republic of Adygea, Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, and Rostov Region are given for the period of 2016-2018. The levels of pollution of the habitat of aquatic biological resources have been estimated in accordance with the standards for freshwater bodies of fisheries importance and the average long-term values. Average heavy metals and arsenic concentrations in the water bodies are compared. The averaged results are presented for the organs and tissues of such commercial fish species as the pike perch (zander) Sander lucioperca , crucian carp Carassius , white bream Blicca bjoerkna, European perch Perca fluviatilis , common bream Abramis brama and the roach Rutilus heckelii caught in the Krasnodar, Takhtamukaysk, Otkaznensk, Novotroitsk, Chograysk, Kryukovsk, Varnavinsk, Veselovsk, Proletarsk and Ust-Manych Reservoirs, the Don River, the Kuban and Mokraya (Wet) Buyvola Rivers. The levels of heavy metals and arsenic accumulated in the muscles and gonads of the fish have been compared in accordance with the Russian Sanitary Rules and Norms for Food Quality (SanPiN2.3.2.1078-01). Heavy metals and arsenic concentrations have been assessed in the same species caught in different bodies of water and in different species caught in the same body of water. The determination of heavy metals and arsenic in the fish and the water bodies under study was carried out in accordance with the procedures developed in the Azov-Black Sea Branch of “VNIRO” (“AzNIIRKH”).

Design of Russian scientific echo-sounder for resource researches is actual, especially after imposition of sanctions against the Russian Federation by the western countries, when sale of different foreign high- tech products was prohibited in Russia. Besides buying foreign equipment which is allowed for sale in the Russian Federation, our users don’t have opportunity to contact with the western partners as well as don’t have possibilities to modernize and improve purchased equipment. This article presents short technical characteristics of new russian small-sized echo-sounder model, named MIEL. For testing of new echo- sounder there was carried out hydroacoustic survey, also using scientific Simrad EY500 echo-sounder on Vazuza basin in autumn 2018. The EY500 echo-sounder was chosen as reference standard device as many years it was used by many Russian and foreign scientific organizations for resource researches on inland water. Fish school and single fish which were registered by EY500 and MIEL echo-sounder were completely identical. Completeness and convenience of information provided on the MIEL screen was significantly higher than the information, presented by EY500 echo-sounder. Also it should be noted the high extent of results coincidence of echo-counting and fish TS. Estimated lower cost of new Russian echo-sounder as well as its high technical characteristics which are well-compared with foreign analogues, and in some parameters surpassing them, compactness, makes this model more available and attractive for solution of fisheries and environmental problems.

The acoustic method is an effective way of controlling the feeding behavior of fish; its improvement required a series of experiments. In the studies described, the acoustic signal of an electromagnetic emitter is used as a conditional stimulus in the formation of the conditioned-reflex behavior of fish. Research is being conducted in the Tver Region, on waters of Vazuzskiy reservoir, near Zubtsovskiy pond fishery, for five years. Present study of 2018 aims the separation of the artificial acoustic stimulus from other factors determining behavior of fish and assessment of its informational significance for fish. The complex of factors, affecting possibility and effectivity of the method usage is explored and systematized. Behavior features of the group of fish, trained to gather by the acoustic method are compared to ones of the control group, gathered only for feeding. It has been proven, that the sound-trained group could be gathered and relocated faster, then the fed one. Sound-trained fish behavior allows recognizing them among others. The results of experimental works shows that the acoustic signal of the “EME” (electromagnetic emitter) stimulator used within the method is a priority factor for the formation of a trained group. It is shown that the use of an acoustic method to control the behavior of fish allows you to create a group of fish that can be collected at selected points of water area with acceptable environmental conditions for this specie and move it up to a distance up to 280m in one passage. Adjusting the elements of this method of controlling the behavior of aquatic biological resources, based on the tasks and conditions of work, the characteristics of water bodies and target fish species, expands the possibilities of its application.

VNIRO’s herbarium contains more than 2000 algal specimens from the coastal areas of Russian seas. First algal samples were collected in 1921 from the Barents Sea and archipelago Novaya Zemlya by B.K. Flerov. For many years, all algologists of VNIRO have taken part in collection development. Herbarium is systematized geographically and represents the algal flora of Barents Sea, Kara Sea, White Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Bering Sea, Okhotsk Sea, Japan Sea, Pacific Ocean. The herbarium collection has both high scientific and cultural value.

In the fall of 2018, in the south of the Terpeniya Peninsula, studies of the spiny king crab ( Paralithodes brevipes ) were conducted at depths of 16-36 m. In spring 2019, in the area of Shelekhov Bay, studies were conducted at depths of 80-402 m, where the main object was of the blue king crab ( P. platypus ) and in the North Okhotsk Sea Subzone at depths of 170-236 m, where the fishing of the snow crab ( Chionoecetes opilio ) was monitored. Additionally, collected materials from other crabs found in by-catch. Japanese-style cone trap data acquisition tool. For biological analysis, we took a random sample of crabs from several traps, and at the trap station, we calculated all crabs by size and gender groups. Physiological and biochemical tests were collected to describe the relationship between filling the limbs with muscle tissue in crabs and the protein content in hemolymph. The research results indicate that in the Terpeniya Peninsula the fishing part in the P. brevipes population is in satisfactory condition. In the region of Shelekhov Bay, the biological state of P. platypus was in very good condition, and the biological state of C. opilio was consistently satisfactory in all areas.

Aquaculture is nowadays one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. In Russia, however, the volume of aquaculture production is low due to several factors. At the same time, the key regulatory documents of the Federal level pay great attention to the fishery industry, ambitious goals to increase production and exports are set. The implementation of aquaculture development programs should be based, among other things, on the introduction of new technologies, the development of scientific and technological potential and the adaptation of the experience of foreign countries. Planning the development of any industry in the modern world should be comprehensive and systematic, and determining promising technological solutions and management practices requires contemporary and accurate analytical tools. This article proposes the use of strategic analytics as a conceptual approach to the data analysis in terms of their current volume and diversification level. It is proposed to use the iFora big data mining system developed by the HSE as a tool for analysing promising trends in the development of the aquaculture industry. The article proposes the use of semantic analysis of large amounts of textual information as the main method. The proposed methodology will be used in the analysis of the aquaculture industry in subsequent publications.