In the context of changing environmental conditions, particularly the increasing salinity of the Sea of Azov, the forecast developed by the branch's scientists predicts an increase in stocks of species such as hazel mullet, Azov turbot, and glossa flounder, as well as commercial invertebrates (shrimp, anadara, and rapa whelk).
The results of harvesting key aquatic biological resources in the Sea of Azov already demonstrate a high degree of consistency with the scientific calculations. For example, positive trends in the hazel mullet harvest are expected in 2025. Its catch in the Sea of Azov and Taganrog Bay by coastal brigades exceeded the previous year's figures by 26%, reaching 1,700 tons.
The successful acclimatization of the mullet was achieved through experimental work conducted in the 1980s at the experimental ilial base on the Molochny Estuary. The establishment of a self-reproducing population was a triumph of acclimatization, leading to the emergence of a high-yielding generation of mullet as early as 1989.
From the mid-1990s to the early 2010s, mullet occupied a key position in the commercial structure of the Sea of Azov. Its stocks reached 50,000 tons, and the total catch was 8,000-10,000 tons per year. However, intensive exploitation, including illegal, unregulated, and uncontrolled fishing (IUU fishing), led to a significant decline in population size and catches from 2013 to 2022.
After 2019, thanks to a series of population restoration measures, the mullet stock exceeded the critical level of 2,000 tons and continues to show positive trends. Currently, the population has reached 18,000-22,000 tons, indicating the beginning of its sustainable recovery. The mullet is once again becoming one of the most sought-after commercial species in the Azov-Black Sea fishery basin.
Assessing the mullet population status is crucial for identifying stock trends, assessing the permissible commercial harvest, and developing a strategy for the sustainable exploitation of commercial resources. These are the objectives of the research conducted by the Azov-Black Sea branch of VNIRO.
Every year, during the autumn and winter, VNIRO conducts a specialized trawl survey in the Sea of Azov to assess the stocks of hazel mullet and turbot. Based on the results of the survey conducted at the end of 2025, it can be confirmed that the scientists' forecasts are correct, and we have indeed seen prolific generations of hazel mullet in recent years.
In addition, specialists from the Azov-Black Sea branch of VNIRO conduct coastal monitoring of the hazel mullet fishery and other aquatic bioresources in the Sea of Azov. Specialists from the branch monitor the fishing activities of fishing crews, determining the parameters of fishing gear, its quantity and duration of use, as well as the total catch. These studies are carried out throughout the year.
Based on the results of all the studies, the Azov-Black Sea branch of VNIRO recommended opening a vessel-based hazel mullet fishery using ring seines to more effectively utilize the allocated catch volumes.
VNIRO Press Service