Scientists evaluating biomass of commercial fish species in Russia's Far East

Biologists from Vladivostok-based fishery research institute TINRO-Centre have analyzed results of pelagic surveys in the Pacific waters of the Kurile Islands and in the south of the Sea of Okhotsk and bottom trawl surveys in West Kamchatka and evaluated biomass of the areas' pollock, squid and other commercial species stocks, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/.

More specifically, the total bottomfish biomass in West Kamchatka has been estimated at 3,176,000 MT, including 1,557,000 MT of APO (nearly twice down on last year). The total abundance of other fish stocks as compared to 2009-2010 doubled to 1,619,000 MT. Rise of bottomfish stocks has been recorded for soles, Cottidae (sculpins), Stichaeidae and some other aquatic families.

Total biomass of all aquatic species in the Pacific waters of the Central and South Kuriles has been estimated at ca. 587,000 MT, including 279,000 MT of squid and 233,000 MT of jellyfish.

In the West Kamchatka shelf the scientists have found a certain rise of abundance of commercial crab species - blue king crab, horsehair crab, red king crab, snow crab and bairdi crab. Along with the above, the scientists have recorded a rise of sea cucumber biomass.