This paper presents data from shore-based and limited boat observations of the seasonal distributions of humpback whales in waters adjacent to the Chukotka Peninsula from 1994 and 2012. Under favourable ice conditions, humpback whales were spotted off the coast of the Chukotka Peninsula as early as the end of May. During the summer, humpback whales remained dispersed in the coastal waters of the Chukotka Peninsula alone and in pairs. In the fall, humpback whales formed aggregations in the extreme southern Chukchi Sea, and northern Gulf of Anadyr. The whales moved away from the observation area before freeze-up. The waters of this area have historically been-and still remain-the summer grazing grounds of humpback whales. The increased number of humpback whales sighted here is an indication of the population increasing, signalling a restoration of their numbers in the waters off the Chukotka Peninsula and a recovery of the stock of humpback whales in the North Pacific.

Information about bearded seal seasonal distribution in the Pacific Arctic is limited. Bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus Exleben, 1777) from coastal sites along the southern, eastern, and northern Chukotka Peninsula, Russian Federation, were observed most seasons during 1993 – 96, 1998 – 2000, 2002 – 05, and 2010 – 11. These observations provide spatial and temporal information about bearded seal seasonal distribution, movements, and relative numbers in the coastal zones. In winter, bearded seals aggregate on the young ice in the northern part of the Gulf of Anadyr. Numbers gradually increase during March. In springtime (April–May), bearded seals in the northern Gulf of Anadyr are relatively numerous around Nunligran (Cape Achen), but the number is highly variable across years. During spring bearded seals move eastward along the coast from the northern part of the Gulf of Anadyr towards the Bering Strait and then to the north, as the marginal ice edge zone retreats north. These movements to the east and north continue in ice-free water, and by August, the spring migration of bearded seals along the coast of the Chukotka Peninsula ends. In the summer months of August and September, few bearded seals are present in this coastal zone. The southward autumn migration of bearded seals is not evident near the coast, which suggests that it occurs farther from shore.

No abstract

The paper provides the rationale for using the public contractual system of the Russian Federation as a mechanism of a proactive economic policy. A number of works are analyzed that consider expenditure stimulation through a public contractual system as the main regulatory tool, for instance, in building national innovative systems, advancing research and technology, modeling the structure of the economy as well as solving social problems. An empirical analysis of the role of the Russian contractual system is given in view of its impact upon development of the regional economies in 2012–2019. Regular significant relations between the scope of financing public procurement within the contractual system of the Russian Federation and adequate own funds in the regional budgets are confirmed. The trends in elasticity coefficients characterizing correlations between the scope of financing of public and municipal procurement within the Russian public contractual system and particular tax groups in consolidated budgets of the subjects of the Russian Federation in 2012–2019 indicate economic appropriateness of increased procurement costs in terms of simultaneously providing own funds to the budgets. A positive influence of public and municipal procurement upon the level of employment and innovative activity of entities is shown, verifying, therefore, the potential of the Russian contractual system to support social and innovative policy, which is consistent with international evaluations. Conclusions are reached on the expediency of employing the budget and contractual system cumulatively as a proactive mechanism of economic policy to achieve efficient economic orders.

No abstract