The pelagic perch-beak of the Irminger Sea is an important object of Russian and international fishing. The management of the perch fishery is carried out within the framework of the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) based on the recommendations of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). One of the elements in the assessment of the perch stock is the values of the biomass indices obtained from the results of trawl-acoustic surveys. The survey has an international status, until 2018, in addition to Russian vessels, research vessels from Iceland and Germany participated in it. In 2018 due to organizational reasons, other countries refused to participate in the survey, the only participant was the Russian ship STM Atlantis.
This year there was a similar situation, the research vessel of Iceland and Germany were not able to participate in the next survey. Taking into account the importance of this type of fishing for the Russian fishery, the performance of the trawl-acoustic survey of the Irminger Sea perch was included in the List of priority expedition studies of the VNIRO Federal State Budgetary Research Institution in 2021.The polygon, design and methodological aspects of the survey were agreed during the meeting of the ICES Working Group on Deep-sea Pelagic Surveys with the participation of representatives of Russia, Germany, Iceland, Norway, as well as employees of the ICES secretariat. By agreement with the German side, it was envisaged that the Russian vessel would also perform work on the part of the landfill originally planned for the German vessel.
The following main tasks were included in the work program of the expedition:
1) Assessment of the number and biomass of perch in order to develop forecasts of possible catch of various timing.
2) Collection of ichthyological, parasitological and genetic materials for conducting research on the population structure.
3) Study of the regularities of the formation of clusters, distribution and behavior of perch depending on the environmental conditions, the biological state and the intensity of fishing.
4) Study of the oceanographic conditions of the Irminger, Labrador seas and adjacent waters that determine the state of the external habitat of the object of research.
At the first stage of the work, from June 15 to July 21, studies were carried out on the Russian part of the landfill, in the water area between 59°30'-64°30' s. w., 26°00'-42°00' z. d., including the waters of the exclusive economic zone of Iceland, the fishing zone of Greenland and the open part of the area (the NEAFC regulatory area). After replenishing the ship's reserves, STM Atlantis carried out a survey on the German part of the landfill, between 58°50'-55°30' s. During the period of work, 170 control trawls and 132 hydrological stations were carried out. The number of perch in the catches of control trawls varied from 1 kg to about half a ton. The maximum catches were obtained in the fishing zone of Greenland in the area of cold waters. In the eastern part of the landfill, in the area of the distribution of warm waters of the Irminger current, catches decreased, up to zero values. Compared with the results obtained by STM "Atlantis" during the survey in 2018 in a comparable water area, there is an increase in average catches of perch when trawling at depths of less than 500 m. When trawling at depths of more than 500 m, the catch values of perch-beak are lower than they were in 2018. The specialists of the scientific group measured and analyzed more than 5 thousand copies. perch-beak, age samples were taken from more than 1.5 thousand specimens, genetic samples were taken from 1 thousand specimens.
Thus, in 2021, a unique survey was carried out by one Russian research vessel STM "Atlantis" of the Atlantic Branch of the VNIRO Federal State Budgetary Research University (AtlantNIRO)on the entire range of the international trawl-acoustic survey of the perch-beak and practically on the entire water area of the habitat of this fishing object.
The results of the trawl-acoustic assessment of the number and biomass of the beaked perch, data on the biology of the perch and its habitat conditions after proper processing will be presented by Russian scientists for joint consideration with ICES specialists.
The scheme of the international trawl-acoustic survey on the assessment of the stock of perch-beak in the Irminger Sea on the STM "Atlantis"
Background information. In the last decade, the problematic issue of regulating the fishing of perch-beak is the difference in the fundamental approaches of the NEAFC Contracting Parties to the development of measures for managing this stock. At the insistence of coastal States, primarily Iceland, recommendations on fisheries management are adopted separately for "shallow " and" deep-water " stocks (in the depth ranges of less than and more than 500 m). The condition of both stocks is considered unsatisfactory, a complete ban on fishing is recommended.
The Russian side has been defending its position for many years based on the hypothesis repeatedly substantiated by Russian scientists about the unity of the pelagic sea bass population, without separation by water area and depth. Also, according to the calculations of Russian experts, the estimates of the perch allowable catch volume made in ICES are underestimated. Based on this, the Russian side has been taking measures to regulate the fishing of pelagic sea bass unilaterally in recent years.
A weighty argument in favor of the Russian point of view can be the results of expeditionary research that other countries are not currently performing. Thus, the absence of a negative trend in the dynamics of the perch biomass according to the results of the 2018 survey served as the basis for maintaining the Russian quota for perch fishing in 2019-2021 at the level of previous years.
A more positive assessment of the state of the perch stock compared to the one proposed by ICES is confirmed by the results of the Russian fishery. Despite periodic changes in the density of accumulations of perch-beak, the fishing situation in recent years has been generally favorable, especially in the current season, during which the average fishing performance of Russian vessels has become one of the highest for all the years of fishing. There are no signs of a negative impact of Russian fishing on the state of the stock of perch-beak.
Specialists of the Atlantic Branch are actively involved in the scientific support of the perch-beak fishery. According to the results of observations during the current expedition of the STM "Atlantis", the scientific group has repeatedly informed the crews of fishing vessels about promising fishing areas, there are thanks from fishermen. Satellite maps of the distribution of water temperature and zones of rising and falling waters at the depth of the perch-beak habitat were sent to fishing vessels daily. In June-July, the scientific observer AtlantNIRO collected scientific and commercial information on board one of the Russian vessels. The complex of scientific studies of the perch-beak of the Irminger Sea will contribute to the preservation of this valuable object in the field of Russian fishing.
Productivity of the Russian TSM in the perch-beak fishery in the Irminger Sea in 1984-2021.
VNIRO Press Service
Завершилась международная тралово-акустическая съемка окуня-клювача моря Ирмингера
Завершилась международная тралово-акустическая съемка окуня-клювача моря Ирмингера
Завершилась международная тралово-акустическая съемка окуня-клювача моря Ирмингера
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