To the issue of the development of opilio snow crab stocks in Shelikhov Gulf of the Sea of Okhotsk in connection with the opening of the king crab fishery

Based on survey data from 2014 and 2021–2023, the boundaries of increased concentrations of commercial male opilio snow crab in the Shelikhov Gulf of the Sea of Okhotsk were outlined. The northern boundary of the king crab fishery in the 2023 fishing season was figured out based on the SDR (ship’s daily report) data. It was found that the distance between the opilio snow crab aggregations and the northern boundary of the king crab fishery in the West Kamchatka subzone is 48–51 miles, which is half the distance from the traditional opilio snow crab fishing grounds located near the boundary line between the Northern Sea of Okhotsk and West Kamchatka subzones along 153°30´ E. The data obtained will make it possible to significantly reduce non-productive losses of fishing time and more rationally utilize the resource base of the domestic crab fishery.