The Volga-Caspian branch of VNIRO conducted monitoring work in the Northern Caspian

 

The research was carried out on a standard grid of stations, fishing was carried out with a 9-meter bottom trawl.

 

The participants of the voyage collected material characterizing the biological state and distribution of aquatic bioresources in the Northern Caspian, and assessed the species composition and structure of trawl catches. The species composition of trawl catches traditionally included semi-anadromous and river fish species - bream, crucian carp, roach, pike perch, white bream, sabrefish, asp, vimba, and from sea fish - herring, gobies. At some stations, sea crayfish were found, and Caspian seals were observed on the sea surface.

 

Bream dominated throughout the surveyed water area, and the number of immature pike perch of the 2022-2023 generations increased. As the trawl survey showed, juveniles and adults of the roach population were encountered sporadically, and their numbers remain low.

 

During the work, hydrological-hydrochemical, ecological-toxicological and hydrobiological material was collected.

 

The collected material was delivered to the branch for further office processing. The results of the collected materials will be used to assess the state of aquatic bioresources in order to develop a forecast of their total allowable catch and recommended catch volume for 2026 and to characterize the habitat of aquatic biological resources.

 

Press service of VNIRO