The history of the Russian fisheries research is briefly reviewed, starting from the moment when the Academy of Sciences was founded by Peter I in Saint Petersburg on January 28, 1724, to the present day. The year of founding of applied fisheries science was named 1881, when the Solovetsky biological station was created. The leading research institute of the industry -VNIRO -was established in 1933 in Moscow. VNIRO join the efforts of all applied institutes of the USSR, which have been created by that time in the main fishery basins. The interaction of fisheries and academic science is traced. The greatest flourishing of cooperation during the Soviet period was in the 1950s -1960s. A new stage of cooperation between scientists began from the moment of signing on September 6, 2018 by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation -Head of the Federal Agency for fisheries -I.V Shestakov and the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences A. M. Sergeev the Agreement on cooperation, allowing to achieve a significant synergistic effect through coordinated annual research program of scientists from fishery research and academic science.

In 2018, in the Scientific and Educational Complex “Primorsky Oceanarium” of the National Scientific Center for Marine Biology (NSCMB) FEB RAS, a Collective Use Center (CUC) was created with scientific equipment, coastal and near-shore infrastructure, unique facilities and biological materials. In its function, this Center is a unit for cooperation between fishery science and academic science in marine biotechnology (MBC). It was organized using principles of shared access of participants to marine areas, coastal research stations, biological and instrumental basis of Marine Mammals Research facility in “Primorsky Oceanarium” MBC structure in the form of CUC can be used in addressing a wide range of tasks in implementing knowledge intensive marine biotechnologies, upgrading bionic methods in the study of aquatic organisms, carrying out field studies and tests on hydroacoustic, electrical, fishing gear and other manipulators for moving behavior of aquatic organisms and their adaptation to fishing activity. The first MBC joint research results are shown. Those studies include research on acoustic and kinematic activity and characteristics of signals of marine mammals and fish, hydroacoustic emitters testing for controlling fish behavior, experimental studies on reflective properties of aquatic irganisms, and influence of attracting and repelling hydroacoustic emitters on fish behavior in cages using modern instrumental control and observation tools.

This paper presents the data on distribution and size composition of the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) population in the northwestern Weddell Sea (Powell Basin) and adjacent areas in summer 2020. Juvenile krill dominated in the western Powell basin and the eastern Bransfield Strait as a result of transport with the advected Weddell Sea water and drifting sea ice. Using a distribution mixture analysis made possible to identify up to 9-10 size groups of krill. Groups 1-4 corresponds to juveniles (average size about 22, 25, 27-28 and 32 mm respectively). They may reflect the transport of different “waves” of recruitment of the Atlantic sector krill population with the waters of the western branch of Weddell Gyre as well as the presence of juvenile krill of local origin. Groups 5-7 are intermediate in size (average length within 38-43 mm) and include mostly immature specimens. Larger groups 8-10 comprise of mostly mature females and mature and immature males. The maximum average size of the largest group reaches about 53 mm. the Wedell Front zone in the north of Powell Basin plays an in important role for retention and growth of krill, originating from different sources: western Weddell Sea, Bransfield Strait and the zone of the southern branch of Anatarcric Circumpolar Current.

Seasonal trophic dynamics was analyzed based on d13C and d15N stable isotope mass content in the Sea of Okhotsk 35 nekton species (fish and squid (Teuthida)). It was shown that considerable differences between species in stable isotope mass contents were associated with diet type. The d15N average values of the Sea of Okhotsk species were 4.5%о in spring, 7.5%o in summer, and 5.4%o in autumn. The summer increase was caused by the appearance of juvenile fish and squid with low trophic status and minimal d15N values, and the autumn decline was due increased trophic status of growing up young individuals. Variability range in d15N values was 11.5%o for all nekton species in summer including migrants into the Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. Relatively narrow variability range in d13C for nekton species, of 2.2-3.3%o, reflects seasonal homogeneity in the trophic web basement in the pelagic Sea of Okhotsk. The structure of the food web of the pelagic nekton, presented according to the d15N and d13C data, provides useful information on the pathways of organic matter transfer to the pelagic zone at the upper trophic levels and can be further used to construct trophodynamic models of the Sea of Okhotsk.

Pacific herring Clupea pallasii Val. -an important commercial species, the range of which covers not only the boreal waters of the Asian and American coasts of the Pacific Ocean, but also extends to the coastal waters of northern Eurasia. The article examines the features of the ecological, biological, morphological variability of the Pacific herring in the extended range from the White to the Yellow Seas, covering the waters of the Arctic, boreal, subtropical zones. The modern habitat of the Pacific herring is represented by two subunits: the ancient range (about 5 million years old) (the coastal area of the North Pacific) and the newly formed range (about 6 thousand years old) -(shelf zones of the Bering, Okhotsk, Yellow Seas, the Arctic coast of Eurasia). The highest growth rate is characteristic of herring in the boreal zone; the lowest values were found for herring from the Kara Sea and the White Sea spring-spawning herring. The results of multivariate discriminant analysis illustrate the similarity of Pacific herring in different areas of the range in terms of a set of meristic characters. The features of changes in the temporal characteristics of the spawning period in Pacific herring in different parts of the range are considered.

As a result of investigation, of the leucocytic formula and ratio of immune defense organs cells (head kidney and spleen) for fishes Baikalian omul in aquarium and natural conditions of spawning migration were determined. The blood of young omul is comprised by the relatively high number of low-differentiated neutrophil granulocytes and monocytes. The total number of lymphocytes varied in the range 44-99%, and the mean value was 69%. Based on the methods of the morphologic and tinctorial distinguishing the eosinophil, neutrophil and basophil cells there were detected in the peripheral blood smears, head kidney and spleen prints. The average ratio of lymphocytes in the head kidney of mature individuals is 74.41 %, and the ratio of macrophages is higher than in juveniles and its average value is 2.25%.

In this article presented new data about movements activity of the Baikal seal (Pusa sibirica) - endemic of the Lake Baikal, obtained using satellite telemetry from July 2019 to March 2020. The average distances during the day was 9.9 ± 2.7 SE km for females, 17.0 ± 2.1 km for males, range of movements during the observation period was up to 5459 km for females and up to 8220 km for males. The most active movements occurred in August and December for males and in November for females. In October, males and females moved the least actively, which may be associated with their movement to shallow, rapidly freezing bays and sores. A sharp decline in activity also took place in January-February, when seals probably began a “settlement” ice period. Data consistent with previous tagging of subadult Baikal seals in 1990-1991. We obtained lower values of covered distances and average indicators for the month for females compared to males. However, we not found statistically significant differences between males and females, and question of differences in movement between subadult males and females still open.

The results of biological research on the RV “Professor Levanidov” in the Bering, Chukchi, East Siberian, Laptev and Kara seas, July 6 - October 2, 2019 are presented. Expatriates from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans made a significant contribution to the biomass of plankton communities in the Arctic seas. Plankton biomass was depended on the distance from the Bering Strait in the east, the Fram Strait and the Barents Sea in the west. A noticeable level of biomass was maintained by local Arctic plankton species. In megabenthos, crustaceans dominated in the Kara and Chukchi seas, and echinoderms in the Laptev and East Siberian seas. The biomass of demersal fishes (mostly Pacific cod, Saffron cod, yellowfin flounder, great sculpin and starry flounder) in the Karaginskaya subzone was 318 thousand tons, pollock biomass was 539-1349 thousand tons. The biomass of demersal fishes (mostly cod, great sculpin, and arrowtooth flounder) in the Olyutorsko-Navarinsky area was 768 thousand tons, pollock biomass 359-897 thousand tons. Representatives of Cottidae, Zoarcidae, Liparidae, Gadidae, Pleuronectidae, and Agonidae families comprised the bulk of catches in Arctic seas. Polar cod dominated in all seas, with exception of the Chukchi Sea, where pollock biomass increased many times compared to previous years. In the Laptev Sea, the abundance of Greenland halibut increased significantly. In the Chukchi Sea, Polar cod biomass was 117 thousand tons, flathead sole 43 thousand tons, pollock 897 thousand tons, snow crab 51 thousand tons. In the Kara Sea, Polar cod biomass was 171 thousand tons, snow crab 67 thousand tons. Significant differences in food composition and feeding intensity of pollock, Polar cod, capelin and Greenland halibut of different sizes revealed the existence of a complex trophic system. Anthropogenic pollution was assessed, the distribution of species-indicators of vulnerable marine ecosystems was studied, and materials for genetic research were collected.

The history of the development of the biological resources of the Volga River is reflected from the first records until 1917. The Neolithic period is described in detail, based on archaeological researches in the Upper Volga region. The ancient Slavs especially valued sturgeons. The main fishing centers were located in the area of the current city Rybinsk. During the Mongol-Tatar yoke, bread and fish were the main items of domestic trade. After the capture of Astrakhan in 1554, control over the fisheries on the Volga River was completely transferred to the Russian state. In 1660, they began to legislatively regulate the relations between fishery and treasury. Since 1721, many ukases and decrees have been issued with the aim of restoring order in the fisheries of the Volga-Caspian basin. In 1768-1774, a large expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences was organized to study “all three kingdoms of nature”, including regions along the Volga River and the Caspian Sea. From the twenties of the 19th century, the period of industrial development of the biological resources of the Volga and the Caspian began and as a result, by the end of the century, the industrial fishing zone was rolling down from the upper river to the orifice, and also a quantitative reduction in fish production was observed, including a decrease in the number of large fish in catches. In 1862, according to the results of the expedition 1853-1858 N. Ya. Danilevsky compiled a project for the construction of the Caspian and Volga fisheries. The review includes data on the formation of the legislative framework for fisheries and the first attempts to preserve and restore stocks of aquatic biological resources in the Volga basin.

The aim of ichthyoplankton studies in July 2019 was to monitor the distribution and estimate the abundance of: 1) eggs and larvae of mass pelagophilous fish species (cod, sprat) in deep-water areas; 2) larvae of smallsized benthic fish species inhabiting the shallow coastal zone of the South-Eastern Baltic Sea (the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation). It was noted, the main concentrations of cod and sprat eggs were in the northern part of the area (southern slope of Gotland Deep). Aggregations with a noticeably lower abundance of eggs were observed in the Gdansk basin. In July 2019, the average abundance of cod eggs (3.4 ind./m²) was higher than in the years without strong North Sea advections according to observations in the 1990-2000. Although the reproduction of sprat was nearing completion, in July its eggs dominated the ichthyoplankton assemblage of the deep-water zone, tenfold exceeding the numbers of cod eggs. In the composition of the ichthyoplankton of the shallow-water zone, 7 species of fish larvae were found, among which the sand goby dominated in numbers. Its small-sized larvae were most abundant above depths from 20 to 40 m, which made it possible to identify this depth range as an area of intensive spawning of the species. The decrease in the number of sand goby larvae in the 2010s, compared to the beginning of the 2000s, could be associated with the spread of the Ponto-Caspian invader round goby in the coastal zone, small-sized fry of which were also found in July 2019 in the ichthyoplankton of the coastal zone.

Production characteristics of summer phytoplankton in the Bransfield Strait were studied in January 2020 during the 79th cruise of the R/V «Akademik Mstislav Keldysh» in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. The primary production, concentration of chlorophyll «a» and the relative content of pheophytin «a» in the sum of chlorophyll «a» and pheophytin «a» were determined. The concentration of chlorophyll «a» within the upper 125 m layer varied from 0.04 to 1.29 mg/m³ with an average value of 0.61 mg/m³. The maximal values were detected in the upper 20 m layer in the northwestern part of the section. The integral content of chlorophyll in the photic layer ranged from 16.67 to 62.43 mg/m² with an average content of 36.66 mg/m², decreasing from west to east. The relative content of pheophytin «a» in the euphotic layer varied from 20% to 68% with an average value of 42%. The lowest values of pheophytin, indicating active photosynthetic processes, were observed in the northwestern part of the section at depths of up to 30 m, in the surface horizon in the central part of the strait, and at depths up to 80 m at the southeastern stations. The depth-integrated primary production was equal to 116-206 mg C/m² per day, the most active synthesis of organic matter was revealed in the surface horizon. The assimilation number was 0.33-0.45 pg C/pg Chl/hour*L, reaching maximum values in the upper ten-meter layer of water. The northwestern part of the Bransfield Strait was the most productive.

Based on the results of 4 surveys conducted in the Black Sea off the Crimean Peninsula in spring, summer and autumn, 2019, an assessment was made of the water and bottom sediments polluted with petroleum components, PAH, organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, heavy metals, arsenic and caesium-137. In the water column of the deep-seafregion and the western coast of the Crimean Peninsula, hydrocarbon concentrations ranged from <0.015 to 0.39 mg/l. Resins and asphaltenes were found in the surface waters of the eastern Crimea only in summer and autumn, and made up 7.3-40 % of the total oil components. The concentrations of petroleum products in the studied sediments varied from <0.02 to 0.96 g/kg of dry weight. The portion of resins and asphaltenes was in the range of 15-30%. Total concentrations of individual PAHs in the studied waters varied from 7.04 to 96.01 ng/l, in bottom sediments they ranged from 33 to 366 mcg/kg of dry weight. Benzo(a)pyrene, an indicator for PAHs contamination, made up 0.3-3.4% in water and 0.5-1.1% in bottom sediments on the amount of total PAHs. No excess of MPC for naphthalene and benzo(a) pyrene was found in the water. MPC for organochlorine pesticides and PCBs set for the fishery waters (MPC_f) were also not exceeded. A single case of 2.2 times exceeded MPC_f for iron was recorded in the deep-sea region off the cape Ayu-Dag. In all the seasons, in deep-sea of the Black Sea, an excess of MPC_f for manganese was detected, which is not associated with anthropogenic pollution, but with the accumulation of manganese in the hydrosulfuric water layer. Higher concentrations of copper, lead, cadmium, zinc, nickel and arsenic were observed in bottom sediments of the deep-sea stretch between Sevastopol Bay and Cape Meganom. As to the bottom sediments of the shelf, the highest concentrations of chromium, mercury, iron and manganese were found in Feodosiysky Bay, Lake Donuzlav and off Cape Sarych,

The main part of the annual primary production in the Arctic and Subarctic zones of the World Ocean is formed during the spring phytoplankton bloom. The timing of the bloom depends on combination of physical factors. Oscillating control hypothesis, proposed in [Hunt et al., 2002] for the Eastern Bering Sea, describes annual peculiarities of ecosystem development related to conditions of the spring phytoplankton bloom. We review propositions of this hypothesis on the reasons of phytoplankton bloom and its connection with physical processes for four local regions of the Bering Sea shelf. The regions include western, northern and south-eastern parts of the shelf. The analysis is based on ocean color and microwave remotely sensed data as well as on atmospheric reanalysis. The results allow for hypothesis improvement. An early phytoplankton bloom may be present in the surface layer in April or May along the eastern Bering Sea shelf even in situations of early sea ice retreat (e. g. February-March) or absence of ice during winter. However, such combinations were not observed in the western Bering Sea shelf region. In 1998-2018, early ice retreat in the western shelf region was always accompanied by relatively late phytoplankton bloom. The temporal lag between sea ice retreat and phytoplankton bloom may be substantial in some years along the southernmost position of the ice edge. On the other hand, the spring bloom in the northern part of the shelf usually follows the ice retreat. In case of early ice retreat, the timing of the bloom is determined not only by wind conditions, but also by heat balance at the surface of the sea. The results are proposed to be used in further analysis of ecosystem dynamics of the western Bering Sea shelf.

The ability of various marine organisms, especially algae and invertebrates, to accumulate arsenic in high concentrations can pose a threat to public health when consumed. It is known from the literature that inorganic arsenic compounds (arsenites and arsenates) are the most toxic, in comparison with methylated forms of the element, and especially with complex organic compounds (arsenobetain, arsenocholine, tetramethylarsonium, arsenoriboses), which are considered non-toxic for live organisms. Monitoring of safety indicators of aquatic biological resources in the main commercial basins of the Russian Federation has shown that the most common excess of total arsenic content is characteristic for algae. According to TR CU 021/2011, the total arsenic content in algae should be 5 mg / kg and the established norm without separation of organic and inorganic arsenic compounds creates a barrier to the rational use of seafood. In this regard, the justification of the norms for the content of inorganic arsenic in algae and the assessment of their toxicity is a very urgent problem. Study of the samples of commercial brown algae Saccharina (=Laminaria) japonica and its derivates with ICP-MS, HPLC-MS-ISP methods, the maximum permissible level of arsenic was found to be exceeded, but the most toxic inorganic forms made up from 6 to14 % of the total amount of arsenic in the raw material. Acute toxicity on laboratory animals (rats) was studied and the absence of toxic effects was shown when an oral suspension containing high doses of arsenic was administered. Repeated administration of the same substances to laboratory mice of the CD-1 line has shown no toxic effects even after multiple doses of arsenic isolated from algae.

Data on distribution, stocks of commercial and potentially commercial brown algae in the Sakhalin-Kuril region, their extraction, industrial processing, and chemical composition are presented. It is shown that for the preservation of biologically active substances and technically valuable components of laminaria, the use of an IR dryer for its preservation at LLC FIG «BINOM», Aniva, Island Sakhalin was an innovative technological solution. The products that are produced at this enterprise, in particular, dried shredded laminaria (IR drying), dried thalloms in heat dryers equipped with gas air heaters with forced air circulation are high - quality products containing all the biologically active components of natural brown alga. Expanded quality indicators of dried products from the laminaria of Sakhalin-Kuril region are presented. Based on the obtained data, recommendations were developed for the integrated use of algae as an annually renewable aquatic biological resource, traditionally extracted and used as raw materials in the production of food products and biologically active substances. It is shown that, despite the significant reserves of kelp in the far Eastern seas of Russia, they are currently poorly developed by fishing, with the exception of the coastal zone of Western Sakhalin.