Sea of Azov: A brief review of the environment and fishery

Abstract

The Sea of Azov, bounded by Ukraine and Russia, is a unique brackish waterbody from many points of view despite its small size. Low water salinity, shallow waters, high summer temperatures, large riverine inputs of organic matter and minerals, and other factors lead to its very high biological productivity. The article reviews specific features of the Sea of Azov fish fauna and fisheries providing some historical and modern statistical data. An updated check-list of native and non-indigenous fish taxa permanently or occasionally inhabiting the Sea of Azov is included.

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

“…In the Republic of Crimea, there is an annual growth in aquaculture; since 2018, the increase has been more than 40%. In the Sea of Azov, such valuable aquaculture objects as sturgeon (Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii), beluga (Huso huso), ship (Acipenser nudiventris)) originate, from here the introduction of the Far Eastern acclimatizing mullet -Redlip mullet, which is currently a commercial object in Azov, Black Seas, appeared in the Mediterranean Sea [26].…”

Mercury Dynamics in the Sea of Azov: Insights from a Mass Balance Model

“…This constitutes a water influx of 15.5 km 3 /yr, while evaporation removes 35 km 3 /yr. The total water discharge into the Black Sea constitutes around 53-55 km 3 /yr, while the total inflow ranges between 36 and 38 km 3 /yr [31]. This mixing of riverine and marine water results in a large salinity gradient (2-12 psu) and high TSS concentrations over the whole sea (average 19.1 mg/L [31,40]), with an average organic carbon content of 16.5% [40].…”

“…Although it is naturally abundant and globally omnipresent, local concentrations tend to be highly spatiotemporally variable and depend on geographic location and surrounding industrial activity [ 2 ]. The Sea of Azov (SoA) is bounded by Ukraine and Russia and represents an important watershed due to its high abundance of fish and connection to the Black Sea [ 3 ]. However, due to the intense industry in the adjacent metropolises, the SoA has been heavily impacted by anthropogenic pollution, including Hg [ 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

Annotated checklist of the sharks, batoids and chimaeras (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii, Holocephali) from waters of Russia and adjacent areas

“…From southwestern Barents Sea, northern Norway to Namibia, including Iceland, Madiera and Azores, also Norwegian Sea, North Sea, western Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Aegean Sea, Marmara Sea, Black Sea and Azov Sea Svetovidov, 1964;Walker and Heessen, 1996;Serena, 2005;Fricke et al, 2007;Byrkjedal and Høines, 2007;Williams et al, 2008;Kontula and Haldin, 2012;). Russian area: Azov Sea and Black Sea (Svetovidov, 1964;Diripasko et al, 2011;Grigorov and Orlov, 2013), no record from the Russian waters of Barents Sea, but, in the past, this species was recorded from off the coast of Murman at Kharlovka (e.g., Gratzianov, 1907: 34), that according to was given as is erroneous. Marine species.…”

“…For the Arctic waters, the information was documented by Knipovich (1926), Essipov (1952), Altukhov et al (1958), Andriashev (1954), Andriashev and Chernova (1994), , Chereshnev and Kirillov (2007), Mecklenburg et al (2011) and etc. Finally, for the Black Sea and Azov Sea, ichthyofaunal study was made on areas of Russia by Svetovidov (1964), , Diripasko et al (2011), .…”