The history of the development of biological resources of the Volga River from 1931 to 1971

The basis of the fishery of the Volga-Caspian fishing region is anadromous and semi-anadromous fish. The state of fishery for biological resources of the Volga River during the construction and commissioning of the Volga-Kama cascade’s hydroelectric power stations is considered. The Big Volga Program of 1933 was supposed to solve transport, irrigation and energy problems, as the most important for the industrial development of the country. The opinion of fisheries experts was not taken into account during the designing. Affairs in the fishing industry were only getting worse, as the Volga was regulated, and catches of valuable fish were falling. The construction of the first Upper Volga hydroelectric power stations did not significantly affect the fishery of the Volga-Caspian region. Further hydraulic construction on the Kama River, on the Middle and Lower Volga led to the blocking of fish routes to spawning grounds, and to a decrease in biological flow from the Volga to the Caspian Sea. The latter caused a reduction in the food supply of semi-anadromous fish and a decrease in the volume of their catch. Hopes for reservoirs as a source of additional fish resources have not been fulfilled. The main ways to solve problems are the artificial reproduction of anadromous and semi-anadromous fish, improvement of the ecological situation in the Volga River basin; during releases it is necessary to take into account the interests of fishery as much as possible. Conservation and maximum possible reclamation of the remaining spawning grounds of valuable fish species in the lower reaches of the Volga are required.