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24 March 2022

Bioresources of the Baltic Sea under the control of VNIRO scientists

The scientific research expedition of scientists of the Atlantic Branch of the VNIRO Federal State Budgetary Research University (AtlantNIRO) on the STM Atlantis vessel has ended. As part of the expedition, an accounting trawl survey of demersal fish (cod, flounder) in the southeastern part of the Baltic Sea was carried out.

The work of scientists included an assessment of the size and age composition of bottom fish, the study of the specifics of their distribution, the characteristics of the biological state and the rate of reproduction. Also, the attention of specialists was directed to monitoring the oceanological and hydrochemical conditions of the habitat of aquatic biological resources of the Baltic.
 
Preliminary results of observations indicate the preservation of the negative state of the cod population, which in recent years has been characterized by the dominance of small-sized individuals: the proportion of fish of the size group of more than 35 cm in catches was less than 30%. The population of river flounder, as noted by scientists, on the contrary, is at a stable level. The formation of dense spawning accumulations on the dump of depths in the range of 75-81 m was recorded, which gives reason to expect a special intensity of spawning of this valuable commercial species.
 
The tasks of the scientific expedition STM K-1704 "Atlantis" are provided by the ICES program for conducting an international accounting survey of the Baltic Sea. The collected data will serve as the basis for making a forecast of the catch of IBD for 2024 and subsequent years.
 
VNIRO Press Service