VNIRO scientists conducted monitoring studies of commercial invertebrates in water bodies of the Northern Azov region

 

From July 7 to 11, scientists conducted comprehensive expeditionary studies in two areas in water bodies of the Donetsk People's Republic, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions: assessing the state of commercial invertebrates (shrimp, gammarus, chironomids, brine shrimp and cysts) and monitoring their habitat.

 

Currently, due to the increase in salinity in the Sea of Azov and its adjoining water bodies, favorable conditions have been created for the development of populations of commercial mollusks, crustaceans and chironomids larvae, which corresponds to the "Concept for the Development of the Sea of Azov until 2030" developed by the employees of the branch. This necessitates the expansion of research to assess the state of their commercial stocks, distribution and monitoring of their habitat.

 

The expedition members studied the coastal areas of the Sea of Azov, including the Taganrog, Belosaraysk, Obitochny and Berdyansk bays, as well as the Utlyuk estuary and salt lakes of the Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions.

 

In the coastal zone of the Berdyansk Gulf, VNIRO scientists recorded high concentrations of juvenile shrimp.

 

During the scientific voyage, specialists monitored the habitat of aquatic biological resources using hydrological parameters: air temperature, water temperature and salinity indicators. They also collected phytoplankton samples in the salt lakes of the Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions.

 

The materials obtained during the expedition will help to clarify the state of stocks of commercial invertebrates: shrimp, brine shrimp at the cyst stage and chironomids, establish the recommended volume of production (catch), and also identify the most promising reservoirs for fishing.

 

Press service of VNIRO