Based on the data from many years of work, VNIRO scientists have developed a strategy for the development of the fisheries complex of the Sea of Azov until 2030. This concept pays attention, among other things, to the situation with jellyfish.
In 2024, during monitoring studies, the Azov-Black Sea branch of VNIRO conducted studies on the distribution of the scyphoid jellyfish population in the waters of the Sea of Azov.
The studies showed that the range of the jellyfish covered the entire waters of the Sea of Azov itself. In Taganrog Bay, the jellyfish was present in catches only in its western part.
The biomass of jellyfish, compared to the same period last year, increased in the Taganrog Bay, and in the sea it slightly decreased. At the same time, significant accumulations were formed in the northern and eastern regions.
According to scientists, the increase in the number of jellyfish in the eastern part of the sea and their entry to the central part of the Taganrog Bay are associated with the predominance of westerly winds, which led to the accumulation and formation of jellyfish in these areas.
It is worth noting that in 2024, the size and weight of individual scyphoid jellyfish were smaller than last year. This happened due to the fact that the optimal water temperature for their development (23-26 C) came almost a month later than in 2023.
Despite a slight decrease in stock, the number of jellyfish is high enough to affect fishing in the Sea of Azov in 2024. Their greatest impact is expected in the northern and eastern parts of the Sea of Azov.
Press service of VNIRO
