Active fishing for Kamchatka crab began in the waters of western Sakhalin in 2022. To assess the current state of the stock, material was collected from the fishery in February-March 2025, and the research was conducted at the Gepard fishing vessel. During the voyage, 39 trap stations were set up, and bioanalysis of 1,104 Kamchatka crab specimens was conducted.
During the biological analysis, the width and length of the carapace, the height of the right (larger) claw were measured, and the sex was determined. The collected material was statistically processed using methods accepted in fisheries research.
The research covered the main commercial aggregation of male Kamchatka crabs in the area from the village of Ilyinsky to the city of Tomari, at depths from 100 to 120 m.
In addition, new water areas from the village of Lesogorsk to the city of Tomari were surveyed at depths from 70 to 190 m. The average catch of commercial males was 3.2 specimens per trap. The sizes of males (by carapace width) in the catches ranged from 129 to 250 mm, the bulk of the catches were commercial males, their share was 74%.
The data obtained indicate a stable state of the Kamchatka crab stock in western Sakhalin and confirm the forecast for sustainable fishing of this species in 2026-2027.
Press service of VNIRO
