Current state of the Sea of Azov main commercial fishery resources and ways to restore them

Abstract

The paper presents the result of analyses of the Azov Sea fishery resources state for the last 15 years of the last century up to the present time. The information on quantitative and qualitative composition of commercial catches is obtained from the data of fishery statistics. Changes in temperature and salinity and their anomalies relative to mean annual values are highlighted. The first four commercial species with maximum catches have been identified: anchovy, kilka, gobies and Redlip mullet. The dynamics of their ratio, at different periods of the current century, may indicate the influence of external conditions (temperature, salinity, etc.). The forecast on increase of catches of the listed species and recommendation on development of the Azov sea fishery development programme, including all directions of fishery, introduction of the newest achievements of science and technology in development of aquaculture and other branches connected with rational use of aquatic biological resources of the sea are given.