• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

/ Not to be cited without prior reference to the Authors International Council for CM 1999/S:02 the Exploration of the Sea Theme Session (S) on Evaluation of Complete Fisheries Systems: Economic, Social and Ecological Analyses FISHERIES, STATUS OF STOCKS AND MANAGEMENT OF ATLANTIC SALMON IN RUSSIA IN 1998 by l 2 4 S.V.Prusov , B.F.Prischepa \ S.S.Krylova , V.P.Antonova\ and V.F.Bugaev Introduction From the late 80's catches of Atlantic salmon have been steadily declining in all countries of the North Atlantic and although more than 50% of countries had catches somewhat higher in 1998 than in the previous year they still remain below the 5-year (1993-1997) and 10-year (1988- 1997) means. This decline can largely be attributed to alterations of Atlantic salmon management pattern in most of the countries targeted at reduction of fishing effort (ICES 1999 Assess: 14). In Russia in 1998 fishing gears remained unchanged. As before barrier fences which block a river completely in its estuary were used for in-river fishery on the Kola peninsula, trap nets and beach seines, fixed gill and drift nets in the Archangelsk Region. Coastal fishery in the White Sea was conducted primarily with trap nets. The number of gears used in coastal fishery remained the same as in previous years. On the Kola peninsula a tendency persists of reallocating quotas between in-river commercial fisheries and recreational fishery based on catch-and-release. In 1998 only 5 barrier fences were operated commercially against 7 in the two previous years (10 in 1995). Catch in commercial fisheries The catch by coastal fisheries in the White Sea remained at the level of previous years and was 56.9 t. Total catch by in-river fisheries was 73.7 t. Total declared commercial catch in Russia was 130.6 t in 1998 which was 19.5 t more than in the previous year, however, at the same level as in 1993-1997 (Table 1). The increase occurred at the expense of 1SW salmon from the Varzuga river where the catch of 52.6 t was fished (9.5 t in 1995). The catch from the Barents Sea rivers which was 4.9 t in 1998 has been steadily declining since the early 90's (23.6 t in 1993-1997,40.6 t in 1988-1997) which is associated with declining stocks, increased pressure from illegal fishing and some alternations of the fishing regime targeted at reduction of fishing 1 Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography (PINRO), 6 Knipovich Street, Munnansk, 183763Russia. 2 Munnansk Regional Directorate of Conservation and Enhancement ofFish Stocks (Munnamybvod), 2 Komso1l1olskaya Street, Munnansk, Russia. 3 Northem Affiliate of the Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography (SevPINRO), Archangels!<, Russia. 4 Karelian Regional Directorate of Conservation and Enhancement of Fish Stocks (Karelrybvod), Petrozavodsk, Russia 2 effort. On the whole, the catch of Atlantic salmon on the Kola peninsula in 1998 was somewhat higher than the previous 5-year mean but less than the mean for the previous 10-years. In other regions of the Northwest Russia declared catch was less than the previous 5-year (1993-1997) and 1O-year (1988-1997) means (Table 1). Under the ban on the fishery on the Pechora river currently in force only scientific fishing with drift nets on the downstream reaches of the river was conducted. Unreported catch continues to make up a considerable part ("guess-estimate" - up to 70%) of the total catch. In Archangelsk region situation is rather dramatic. A total catch including unreported catch assessed by comparing catch survey results with reported catch for the Severnaja Dvina was about 30 t, instead of8.6 t declared. Recreational fishery The catch of Atlantic salmon in recreational fishery on the Kola peninsula has been fairly stable over the past 7 years, from the time of its initiation in 1991. In 1998 12 776 salmon were taken in catch-and-release fishery which was 80.9% of the total rod catch. The analysis of CPUE data from the recreational fishery (catch-and-release) (Table 2) has shown that the catch per angler per day on the Barents Sea rivers exhibits a significant downward trend (Route regression analysis; p=0.997), whereas on the White Sea rivers. - a significant upward trend (Route regression analysis; p=O.OOI). Since the number of issued licences remained the same in the last years a reduction in CPUE on the Barents Sea rivers can be directly attributed to an overall decline of Atlantic salmon stocks there and MSW salmon in particular, which proportion in salmon stocks in northern rivers on the Kola peninsula has been historicaliy higher than in the rivers draining into the White Sea. As a whole, the 1998 CPUE in catch-and-release was higher than the 1993-1997 average (Table 2). Age composition and exploitation rate The age composition of commercial ~atch in Russian home waters in 1998 remained the same as in the previous two years. Grilse continued to dominate the total catch and accounted for 83% (68% in 1991-1995). On the Kola peninsula where the catch was primarily composed of salmon from rivers of the White Sea basin ISW salmon accounted for 94% of the total catch while they made up only 12% ofthe catch taken in the Archangel region. Table 3 presents exploitation rates for salmon stocks in some rivers on the Kola peninsula where barrier fences were operated over a rather long time. On all these rivers except the Varzuga river exploitation rates in 1998 decreased against the previous year. The route regression analysis has shown a downward trend in exploitation rates in fisheries on the Barents Sea rivers over the past 5 and 10 years, and over the past 10 years on rivers flowing into the White Sea. In general, a decrease of exploitation rates in Russia is associated with cessation of fisheries on a number of rivers and re-allocation of quotas between commercial and recreational fisheries. Adult returns Adult counts are available for 8 rivers on the Kola peninsula and one river in Karelia (Tabale 4). Adults returning to these rivers were counted at barrier fences except the PonQi river where the stock from 1994 onwards has been assessed by using the mark-recapture estimate. Compared to 1997 returns to all White Sea rivers increased in 1998, however, decreased to the Barents Sea rivers (except the B.Z.Litsa river). Compared to averages for the previous 5 and 10 years the abundances of salmon in the Ponoi and Varzuga rivers increased in 1998, however, they declined in the Barents Sea rivers, Umba river and Keret. The analysis of data for the past 10 years indicates a downward trend in abundance of adults returning to rivers flowing into the Barents 3 Sea (except B.Z.Litsa), and to the Kitsa, Umba and Keret rivers. For rivers B.Z.Litsa, Ponoi and Varzuga no trend was identified in adult returns over the past 10 years. Attainment of stock conservation limits Currently conservation limits have been set for Kola rivers where the fishery has been conducted for 30-40 years at barrier fences placed in the estuary of some rivers and whereby comprehensive catch statistics and biological data have been collected. Conservation limits have been defined for 5 rivers as MSY points on "stock-recruitment" curves (Alexeev, Prusov, 1998) as recommended by WGNAS (ICES 1995/Assess:14). For those rivers where habitat data are available conservation limits have been established by transporting reference points - 2.73 eggs/m2 for the Barents Sea rivers and 3.85 eggs/m2 for the White Sea rivers. The approach using total catchment area has been applied for other rivers (Table 5). In 1998 the numbers of eggs attained in the Varzuga and in the Kitsa exceeded the conservation limits. In 3 Barents sea rivers where data are available eggs attainment has been below the spawning requirements. Management From the late 50's as a precautionary stock conservation measure (Zubchenko, Zelentsov, 1998) concentrated fishing for salmon at barrier fences which completely blocked the river was introduced on salmon rivers of the Kola peninsula with commercial in-river fisheries. The barrier fences were operated in a manner providing that no less than 50% of salmon entering the river could migrate upstream to spawning grounds which was implemented through a fishing regime - one day fishing/one day migration. On those rivers where the stock was in a bad shape and/or returns were anticipated to be rather low the fishing regime was altered for .one day fishing/two days migration. In addition, from the early 90's when the recreational fishery began to develop the number of salmon for free migration through a barrier fence to spawning grounds was increased for those rivers which supported both commercial and sports fisheries. In 1998 for all rivers on the Kola peninsula where concentrated fishery was conducted spawner escapement targets had been established on the basis of conservation limits recently set. Taking into account, that adult returns to the Tuloma and Umba rivers were anticipated to be below the spawner escapement target, fisheries' on these rivers were suspended and only scientific fishing was conducted and parent fish were collected for enhancement purposes. On rivers B.Z.Litsa, Ura and Kola one day fishing alternated with two days of migration before 25 June, thereafter the fishing regime was altered for one day fishing/one day migration under condition that a sufficient number offemales migrated to spawning grounds. On the Varzuga and Kitsa rivers no more than 37% of salmon migrating for spawning were allowed to be harvested in the fishery, besides, to support recreational fishery additional number of salmon counted against commercial catch was also let migrate through barrier fences.

Load more

  10

Copy Link