Results of pacific salmon fishery in the Sakhalin-Kuril Region in 2024

Pacific salmon fishery in the Sakhalin-Kuril region in 2024 is considered. Data on the forecasted and actual annual catch are presented, by areas and species. The catch of pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha amounted to 33589 t (63.3 % of the forecasted value), including 1456 t produced by pasture aquaculture. A total of 10.622∙106 ind. of matured pink salmon run into the rivers, including 1.302∙106 ind. for northwestern Sakhalin, 0.506∙106 ind. for southwestern Sakhalin, 8.614∙106 ind. for eastern Sakhalin, and 0.2∙106 ind. for Iturup Island. The spawning run of pink salmon in 2024 in the East Sakhalin fishing subzone and on Iturup Island was distinguished by predominance of the early temporal group that spawned in the upper reaches of rivers. By the data of walking surveys, some rivers in southeastern Sakhalin, in the Aniva Bay, and in the northwestern, northern, and southern parts of northeastern Sakhalin were maximally filled by spawners of pink salmon. The catch of chum salmon O. keta was estimated in 19.367 t that was only 55.0 % of the forecasted value (35.234 t). However, the fishery statistics for this species revealed a disproportion: this value, represented by catch of artificially reproduced chum salmon (shown in the industrial statistics), was clearly underestimated, whereas the removal of pastured chum salmon (shown separately as agricultural products) was exaggerated to unrealistic value of 20591 t due to inclusion of a part of the fish released at juvenile stage for pasturing. Actually the catch of artificial chum salmon was in 14207 t higher and amounted to 33574 t, or 95.3 % of the forecasted value. The catch of sockeye salmon O. nerka amounted to 1357 t (96.3 % of the forecasted 1412 t), the catch of coho salmon O. kisutch was 711.7 t (166.3 % of the forecasted 428 t), and the catch of masu salmon O. masou was 12 t (15.4 % of the forecasted 78 t). According to official fishery statistics, the total annual landing of pacific salmon in the Sakhalin-Kuril region in 2024 amounted to 53581 t, the forecasted value was utilized in 59.4 %. However, taking into account the abovementioned details of accounting for chum and pink salmon, the actual catch was in 15663 t higher and reached 69244 t, i.e. the forecasted value was utilized in 76.7 %. This feature of fishery statistics in Sakhalin distorted the value of the total catch of pacific salmon in the Russian Far East in 2024 that actually was not 235.103 t but exceeded 250 .103 t. In 2024, production of the pastured chum salmon for the first time reached a significant value of 6384 t, including 3871 t within the East Sakhalin fishing subzone and 1992 t in the southern Kuril Islands.