Biological resources of the Azov Sea briefly. Seas of Russia - Sea of ​​Azov

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SELECTED ISSUES OF REGULATORY REGULATION OF THE USE OF AQUATIC BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES OF THE AZOV SEA BASIN

Tereshina Maria Valentinovna

Doctor of Economics Sciences, Professor of the Department public policy And government controlled, Associate Professor, Kuban State University, Russian Federation, Krasnodar

Doni Denis Sabirovich

Master's student at the Faculty of Management and Psychology in the direction of state and municipal management of Kuban State University, Russian Federation, Krasnodar

REGULATORY AND LEGAL ISSUES OF AZOV SEA BASIN WATER BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES USAGE

Maria Tereshina

doctor of Economics, professor of Public Administration and Governance Department, assistant professor of Kuban State University, Russia Krasnodar

Denis Doni

undergraduate of Management and Psychology Faculty on State and Municipal Management, Kuban State University, Russia Krasnodar

ANNOTATION

The imperfection of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the field of regulatory support for the use of aquatic biological resources is one of the reasons for their depletion. This problem is acutely felt in regions with high anthropogenic load, which include the Azov basin. Preservation resource potential The Sea of ​​Azov is of great political and economic importance in the development of the Krasnodar region and the state. The article analyzes the gaps in the legal regulation of the use of aquatic biological resources of the Azov Sea, and offers recommendations for eliminating them.

ABSTRACT

The drawbacks of current Russian Federation public administration in regulatory and legal ensuring of water biological resources usage are among the reasons of resource spoilage. The problem is especially serious in areas with high anthropogenic load like Azov Basin. Preserving Azov Sea resource potential is of high political and economic importance for development of Krasnodar Region and of the state. The article attempts to analyze separate regulatory and legal gaps of water biological resources usage within the Azov Sea, and provides a list of recommendations to eliminate the gaps.

Keywords: Public policy; ecology; Sea of ​​Azov; aquatic biological resources.

Keywords: Public administration; ecology; Sea of ​​Azov; water biological resources.

The Azov basin, due to its geopolitical position, fairly high economic importance and unique environmental potential, is of interest for the development of the Russian economy. The natural resource potential of the Azov basin is a local basis for the development of not only the region, but also the state as a whole.

Increasing Engagement natural resources into the sphere of human activity and the degradation accompanying this process environment is one of the most pressing problems of our time. The threat of a shortage of resources, primarily natural resources, is emerging more and more often and may worsen in the future. Unfortunately, we have to admit that the Azov basin is not an exception in this sense.

The state of the Azov Sea ecosystem in recent years is assessed as unfavorable. Due to powerful economic activity, the recreational potential of resort areas continues to deteriorate. Analysis of monitoring data over the past twelve years allows us to conclude that the ecological state coastal zones and areas near river mouths is approaching critical levels.

The state of aquatic biological resources in the Azov Sea basin is also unsatisfactory. Until 1990, Russia constantly increased the volume of production of aquatic organisms, reaching a maximum in 1989 - 8.4 million tons. Subsequently, there was a sharp drop in catches - to 3.5 million tons in 1994. Beginning in 1995, catches began to gradually increase. In 1997, the catch amounted to 4.7 million tons, which gave some hope for further growth. However, after 1997, there was a significant reduction in Russian catches - to 4.0 million tons in 2000.

The main factors determining the state of stocks of a number of valuable commercial fish in the Sea of ​​Azov in recent years remain the lack of conditions for natural spawning and illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing, which has a negative impact not only on species whose fishing is prohibited (stellate sturgeon or sturgeon) or limited (pike perch, bream, vimba), but also to species listed in the Red Book of Russia (Azov-Black Sea shemaya and Azov beluga). Moreover, experience shows that in the case of massive unregulated fishing, the prohibition of official fishing does not contribute to the conservation of stocks. Thus, despite the fact that fishing for sturgeon species has been prohibited since 2000, their population numbers, catch per fishing effort, and total catch for fish farming and research purposes continue to decline. The situation with illegal fishing at sea continues sturgeon fish, and mostly of non-commercial sizes. Because of this, the adult part of the population is practically not replenished. The forecast estimates also show negative trends, especially in relation to populations of anadromous and semi-anadromous fish.

The relevance of the issue predetermines the need for formation at all levels state power And local government a clear and consistent regulatory framework aimed not only at more economical and environmentally friendly efficient use aquatic biological resources, but also their restoration. The research topic also acquires particular importance due to the unsettled issues of transboundary environmental management between Russia and Ukraine, primarily in the field of fisheries development and the active use of aquatic biological resources.

Currently, the legislation of the Russian Federation has a number of gaps in the field of regulation of resource provision, in particular, in the Azov basin zone. Yes, in accordance with the provisions Federal Law dated December 20, 2004 No. 166-FZ “On fishing and conservation of aquatic biological resources”, the priority of activity is the conservation of aquatic biological resources and their rational use before the use of aquatic biological resources as an object of ownership. At the same time, the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 31, 2007 No. 367 “On measures to implement Article 54 of the Federal Law “On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources” states that freely seized or confiscated aquatic biological resources not included in the list specified in paragraph 2 of these Rules, as well as their processed products, including caviar, are transferred by authorized bodies to the Russian Federal Property Fund (Currently to the Federal Agency for State Property Management) under an acceptance certificate for sale or destruction.

Let us recall that clause 2 of the Rules provides an exhaustive list of FBRs, which, if their physical condition is satisfactory, are returned to their habitat. These types of FBR, in accordance with the List, include sturgeon and salmon fish, crabs and craboids, and some mollusks and echinoderms. The remaining types of FBR, as already indicated, in accordance with current legislation must be transferred to FAUGI for sale or destruction.

However, in the Krasnodar Territory, unlike the Far Eastern region, the Federal Property Management Agency does not deal with these issues. The Agency has not identified property reception and transfer points in most coastal (Sea of ​​Azov) regional centers of the Krasnodar Territory. The problem is that, unlike, for example, real estate, which by definition is handled by the Federal Property Management Agency, aquatic biological resources are perishable products. In this regard, the decision on the sale of gratuitously seized or confiscated FBR must be made promptly. The current procedure for registration and transfer of the specified property, its sale among federal and municipal institutions, as well as the lack of specialists in the FAUGI divisions directly responsible for the sale of perishable goods, do not allow the acceptance and sale of seized or confiscated FBR free of charge. Although, with proper organization of work, it would be possible to supply these products to budgetary institutions (kindergartens, boarding schools, etc.), thereby providing a truly rational approach to their use.

As a result, on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory, almost all freely seized or confiscated aquatic biological resources not included in the List are destroyed. In particular, gratuitously seized or confiscated FBRs from the Azov basin are disposed of at a specialized enterprise - the Timashevsky recycling plant.

At the same time, the List itself requires an undoubted adjustment, since very few of the ABRs living in the Azov fishing basin are included in it, and only those that, unfortunately, are becoming less and less common in the natural environment, and are not objects of large-scale fishing, production or fishing.

Another legal conflict that occurs in the current legislation of the Russian Federation in the field of use of aquatic biological resources relates to compensation for damage caused to them.

Thus, in the preamble of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of September 26, 2000 No. 724 “On changing the rates for calculating the amount of recovery for damage caused to aquatic biological resources” it states: “In order to preserve valuable types of aquatic biological resources, including those listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation decides: ... ".

An appendix to the said Resolution are taxes for calculating the amount of recovery for damage caused by the destruction, illegal fishing or extraction of aquatic biological resources, in accordance with which a list of them is given, including more than 140 species, including partial fish species, such as pike perch of all forms, mullet of all types and ram. It should be noted that these species of fish are the main objects of catch and production in the coastal part of the Sea of ​​​​Azov and its estuaries (Yeisk, Beisugsky, Akhtarsky, Kurchansky and Akhtanizovsky). At the same time, in accordance with the provisions of the Order of the Federal Fisheries Agency dated March 16, 2009 No. 191 “On approval of the List of especially valuable and valuable types of aquatic biological resources classified as fishery objects”, an exhaustive list of these types of aquatic biological resources is given. The designated List contains 8 types of especially valuable and 38 types of valuable FBR. However, semi-anadromous pike perch, mullet of all types and ram, as already noted, which are objects of fishing in the coastal part of the Azov Sea and its estuaries, were not included in this List.

Thus, in fact, it turns out that the Government of the Russian Federation, in order to preserve valuable species of aquatic biological resources, sets taxes on aquatic biological resources that are not classified as valuable species of aquatic biological resources by the Federal Fishery Agency.

Such insufficient elaboration of specific practical issues the use of aquatic biological resources in the regulatory framework and leads to existing practices that cannot be called positive.

Of course, there is a way out of this situation. To improve the legal and regulatory support of state policy in the field of environmental management and regulation of resource supply in the Azov basin, it seems appropriate:

1. Make the necessary changes (amendments, additions) to the List of freely withdrawn or confiscated aquatic biological resources, which, if their physical condition does not allow them to be returned to their habitat, are subject to immediate destruction, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 31, 2007 . No. 367, supplementing the specified List with partial fish species (pike perch of all forms, mullet of all types, ram, etc.), the habitat of which primarily belongs to the Azov basin.

2. Make the necessary changes (additions) to the Order of the Federal Fisheries Agency dated March 16, 2009 No. 191 “On approval of the List of especially valuable and valuable species of aquatic biological resources classified as fishery objects”, bringing the specified list in accordance with the list of fees approved Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated September 26, 2000 No. 724 “On changing the rates for calculating the amount of recovery for damage caused to aquatic biological resources.” Or, in relation to the Azov fishing basin, supplementing the List with specific fish species (pike perch of all forms, mullet of all types, ram, etc.), the habitat of which primarily belongs to the Azov basin.

3. On federal level, or at the level of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, to develop and put into practice a unified simplified procedure for the reception by FAUGI units from authorized bodies of gratuitously seized or confiscated by them FBR, for the purpose of their implementation among federal and municipal institutions, mainly in the fields of education and health care. Here we also provide for the liability of officials for improper performance of duties for the acceptance and transfer of gratuitously seized or confiscated FBR from one executive authority to another, if improper performance of duties leads to damage (loss) of these resources.

It seems that improving the regulatory framework in this direction will contribute to:

1. Rationalization of the use of aquatic biological resources as a result of the sale of freely withdrawn or confiscated aquatic biological resources;

2. Reducing the burden on the budget in terms of financing federal and municipal institutions of the Krasnodar Territory, by providing them with free of charge seized or confiscated FBR, under the obligatory condition that these products will be used to organize catering in these institutions;

3. Preservation and growth of populations of aquatic biological resources living in the Sea of ​​Azov and its estuaries, due to the legally established obligation of officials of state bodies exercising protection of aquatic biological resources in the Sea of ​​Azov and state control during the fishing (harvesting) of these biological resources, to return to natural environment habitat, in case of satisfactory physical condition of the FBG, discovered as a result of the implementation of control and security functions. In turn, this will comply with the requirements of the Federal Law of December 20, 2004 No. 166-FZ “On Fisheries and the Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources”, and will have a positive effect on the general environmental condition of the Azov Basin.

Of course, the proposed priority practical measures to solve the problems of legal regulation in the field of use of aquatic biological resources in the Azov basin require thorough refinement legislative level. However, legislation in this area requires serious and urgent systemic improvement.

Bibliography:

1.Report “On the state of environmental management and environmental protection of the Krasnodar Territory in 2012.” Krasnodar, 2013. - 351 p. [Electronic resource] - Access mode. - URL: http://www.dprgek.ru/content/section/470/detail/1177/

2. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of September 26, 2000 No. 724 “On changing the rates for calculating the amount of recovery for damage caused to aquatic biological resources.” Legal reference system "Garant", Internet version. [Electronic resource] - Access mode. - URL: http://www.garant.ru

3. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 31, 2007 No. 367 “On measures to implement Article 54 of the Federal Law “On Fisheries and the Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources.” Legal reference system "Garant", Internet version. [Electronic resource] - Access mode. - URL: http://www.garant.ru

4.Order of the Federal Fisheries Agency dated March 16, 2009 No. 191 “On approval of the List of especially valuable and valuable types of aquatic biological resources classified as fishery objects.” Legal reference system "Garant", Internet version. [Electronic resource] - Access mode. - URL: http://www.garant.ru

5.Federal Law of December 20, 2004 No. 166-FZ “On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources.” Legal reference system "Garant", Internet version. [Electronic resource] - Access mode. – URL:

According to scientists, even in the first half of the twentieth century, the biological resources of the Sea of ​​​​Azov were so great that they had no equal among all other bodies of water in the World Ocean.

Today, marine productivity has been significantly reduced. The basis of the industrial potential was fish stocks, which are represented by 79 species and subspecies. But many of them no longer have commercial value due to a sharp decline in numbers. Let's give some statistics on the species of fish that until recently formed the basis of the Sea of ​​​​Azov.
Migratory fish species
A peculiarity of representatives of this group of inhabitants of the reservoir is that they do not leave sea waters until puberty. After this, the individuals head to rivers to spawn. The entire spawning process takes from one to two months...
The biological resources of the Azov Sea are distinguished by the presence of such valuable commercial fish species as stellate sturgeon, beluga, sturgeon, herring, shemaya, and vimba. All of them belong to the pass-through category.
Beluga is considered the largest fish that migrates to rivers to spawn. In the recent past, the species was not considered rare, but is now listed in the Red Book. In addition to the Azov Sea, it lives in the Caspian and Black Sea. The Azov beluga most often ascends the Don River to breed. Kuban is used less for caviar by sturgeon.

Semi-anadromous fish species
Pike perch, ram, bream, sabrefish - these are the names of fish belonging to the category of semi-anadromous, there are twelve of them in the group. They, like representatives of migratory species, go from the sea to rivers to spawn. But the difference is that this whole process for semi-anadromous animals takes a long time, sometimes up to a year. In addition, young animals can remain in rivers throughout the winter.
One of the representatives of this category of fish is pike perch. A fairly common species, found in the basin of not only the Azov, but also the Baltic, Caspian, Black, and Aral seas. Pike perch is a large predator that feeds on invertebrates and small fish. The size of an adult individual can reach one meter in length, and the weight is usually 10-15 kilograms.

Marine species
The biological resources of the Sea of ​​Azov are largely represented by this group of fish. There are 47 representatives in the category. TO marine species fish include pilengas, gobies, flounder, needlefish, glossa, perkarina, sprat, and three-spined gnat.
The peculiarity that distinguishes these particular fish of the Azov Sea is that they constantly live in salty waters. This is where reproduction occurs, the young hatch, and reach sexual maturity.
Pilengas is one of the most common inhabitants of the sea. It is interesting because it was specially brought into the pool about 40-50 years ago. For enough short period managed to successfully acclimatize, and today the fish is considered a commercial species. The size of the sawfish is impressive - up to 150 centimeters in length and weighing up to 12 kilograms.
Migratory fish species
When describing the biological resources of the Sea of ​​Azov, it is necessary to mention the breeds that make constant migrations. Such types sea ​​fish, like the Azov and Black Sea anchovy, herring, singil, mullet, horse mackerel, red mullet, sharpnose, Black Sea Kalkan, mackerel, regularly change their habitats, crossing from the Black Sea to the Azov Sea or vice versa.
Of the four known varieties of red mullet, only one of them lives in the basin. The fish live in schools in the bottom waters. In the upper layers of the seabed it finds small animals that serve as food for the mullet. The fish is of commercial importance.

Freshwater species
Sterlet, bleak, silver crucian carp, ide, pike belong to freshwater fish, despite their residence in sea ​​waters. Belonging to the group is explained by the fact that they inhabit desalinated sea areas. For this reason, fish do not make large migrations. There are a total of 13 species in the category.

Use of natural resources
Today, the state of the ecology of the Sea of ​​Azov is causing concern among specialists. The thoughtless use of natural resources and the intensive reduction of river flows have led to a fourfold decrease in fish species. Their total number has decreased by 10-15 times. These dramatic changes in the ecosystem have occurred in less than 80 years and are solely due to economic activity person.
Since the year 2000, commercial catching of sturgeon has been prohibited due to a sharp decline in the number of the species. The list of bodies of water where the ban applies includes the Sea of ​​Azov.
The description of fish species that require careful treatment, unfortunately, is not limited to sturgeon.
Flounder and mullet have also lost their commercial importance. The water area of ​​the Azov Sea is used for economic purposes by two states - Russia and Ukraine. The well-being of the region, as well as the improvement of the environmental situation throughout the entire basin, depends on the coordination of their actions.
Despite the acute crisis in bilateral relations, Russia and Ukraine recently managed to agree on the conditions of fishing in the Sea of ​​Azov.
The Joint Fisheries Commission determined the catch volumes of the main commercial species in 2018. And for pike perch, bersh and sabrefish, additional restrictions have been developed.
The Russian-Ukrainian commission on fisheries in the Sea of ​​Azov was held on October 24-26, 2017 in Rostov-on-Don. The parties confirmed the need to strictly observe the regulation of industrial fishing in the Sea of ​​Azov, and also informed each other about the results of fishing in the current season. Also, for 2018, production volumes of the main commercial fish species were established for our countries. Let us remind you that these include gobies, pilengas, herring, anchovy, red mullet and others.
They did not forget to agree on control over vessels fishing in the Sea of ​​Azov and the Kerch Strait. In general, the delegations managed to develop important decisions, aimed at preserving and rationally using aquatic biological resources and ensuring conditions for sustainable fishing.
Well, perhaps such coordinated actions of fishermen will become an example for other sectors of the national economy of our countries.

Andrey Kravtsov. Prepared according to information: fb.ru

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From an old notebook. I wrote 15 years ago... In the eighties of the last century, when I first came to these fertile places for fishing, I was still quite “green”, like three Soviet rubles, a fisherman, and met one person unique in the fishing community. This fleeting meeting remained forever in my memory. My friends and I were fishing in the Nedvikovka area. The ram was caught well with bloodworms and maggots, and occasionally a decent fish was caught. Suddenly, my attention was attracted by a figure that appeared from around the bend of the channel. The man and his behavior seemed inappropriate and unrealistic in this setting. I was surprised by the fact that he looked little like a fisherman, but rather resembled a passerby hurrying about his business. With a sliding, quick step, he moved along the opposite bank of the channel, waving his arms as he walked. He was dressed in a short army jacket, tied at the waist with a wide soldier's belt. The outfit was completed with tarpaulin boots and a worn earflaps. Suddenly, as if fulfilling someone’s command, he stopped and pulled out from his belt an ax that was behind him and had not previously been noticed by me. Leaning towards the ice, he cut a hole with three or four well-calibrated blows. Returning the ax to old place, took out a medium-sized fishing rod from a spacious canvas bag slung over his shoulder and, having unwinded a certain amount of fishing line from the reel, lowered his spoon into the hole. Having made three short swings with small pauses with his fishing rod, on the fourth he pulled a one and a half kilogram pike onto the ice! Slowly putting it, and the coiled fishing rod, into the bag. The fisherman continued his path with the same fast, sliding gait and soon disappeared from my wide-open eyes around the next bend in the channel. The unreality of what happened defied my understanding. I already sinfully thought that I had imagined all this or, at worst, dreamed, and I even pinched myself on the arm, trying to drive away this vision. But the pain clearly pointed to reality, no matter how consistent with the picture I saw. Somewhere in the subconscious, an obsessive thought about a psychotherapist arose by itself... My fishing friends came up and brought me back to the sinful earth. And with the words: “So Mitrich ran, now we can have a snack,” they began to pack an impromptu lunch. Their story about Mitrich completely clarified the situation. It turns out that Mitrich lives in Khopry, and every winter, almost every day at eight o’clock in the morning, he begins his unusual fishing trip, which has already become a local attraction, from Khopry to Morskoye Chulek and back. It's 16 km long, one way only. Mitrich's full marathon was more than 32 km, and it ended at about five o'clock in the afternoon, or rather a winter evening, at the starting point. According to old fishermen, Mitrich never returns from such an unusual fishing trip without a trophy, but in his understanding, he never takes too many fish; he is content with three or four pike or pike perch, or even a large perch. Weighing less than a kilogram, Mitrich always releases the fish... To this day, I continue to be amazed by this man’s purposeful, selfless attitude towards fishing, his understanding, love and caring attitude towards nature and all living things. Mitrich has been gone for a long time, but the memory of this amazing man remains.
Much has changed since then; there is no former fish diversity and abundance, as in old times. The time, country, moral principles and ideals have changed. Both the person himself and his attitude towards everything around him have changed. It was man, due to his ignorance, indifference and greed, who violated what seemed to be such a strong, centuries-old balance in the ecosystem, but in reality it was so fragile and vulnerable. In place of the former “oasis”, a “semi-desert” was formed...
From its former popularity and abundance of fish, only pitiful memories remain. The Sea of ​​Azov has lost its former glory as a “blue field” that fed almost half of the great country; the “time of troubles” not only significantly reduced the fish resources of the Sea of ​​Azov, but also caused irreparable geographical, moral and ethical damage to the once powerful and seemingly unshakable country like the Soviet Union. But greatest damage suffered the people who inhabited it. And our task is to try to revive the former glory not only of the Sea of ​​Azov, but also of the power of Russia. Greatness starts small. And the memory of people like Mitrich, with whom the Russian land is rich, is part of this small thing. It depends only on us what kind of fish, and in what river we will catch, and in what country we and our children will live. Every angler who loves the land on which he had the honor of being born should remember this. It is his task to preserve it for his descendants.
Pokrovskoe. March. 2002.

The Sea of ​​Azov is located in the south of the European part of Russia. It is connected by the narrow (up to 4 km) and shallow (4–3 m) Kerch Strait with.

The Sea of ​​Azov is the shallowest and one of the smallest seas in the world. Its area is 39 thousand km2, water volume is 290 km3, average depth is 7 m, greatest depth- 15 m.

The sea has a relatively simple outline. The northern coast is flat, steep, with alluvial sand spits. In the west it is separated from the sea by the bay, which is connected to the sea by the Strait of Henichesk. In the southeast, the delta of the Kuban River stretches for 100 km with extensive floodplains and numerous channels. The Kuban River flows into the Temryuk Bay. In the northeast, the largest bay of the sea protrudes into the land for 140 km - Taganrog Bay, the top of which is the delta of the Don River.

The shallow shores of the sea turn into a smooth, flat bottom. Depths gradually increase with distance from the coast. The most great depths are located in the central part of the sea, the depths in the Taganrog Bay are from 2 to 9 m. Mud volcanoes are known in the Temryuk Bay.

Almost all river flow into the sea (more than 90%) comes from the Don and Kuban rivers. The vast majority of runoff occurs in the spring-summer season.

The main exchange of waters in the Sea of ​​Azov occurs through the Kerch Strait. According to average long-term data, about 49 km3 of water flows out of the Azov Sea annually by surface runoff. The resulting water flow from the Azov Sea to the Black Sea is about 15 km3/year.

The climate of the Azov Sea, which juts deep into the land, is continental. It is characterized by Cold winter, dry and hot summer. In the autumn-winter season, the weather is determined by the influence of the spur of the Siberian anticyclone with a predominance of eastern and northeastern winds at a speed of 4–7 m/s. The increased impact of this spur causes strong winds (up to 15 m/s) and is accompanied by intrusions of cold air. The average monthly temperature in January is –1…–5°С; during northeastern storms it drops to –25…–27°С.

In spring and summer, warm temperatures prevail, clear weather with weak winds. In July, the average monthly temperature throughout the sea is 23–25°C, and the maximum is more than 30°C. During this season, especially in spring, Mediterranean cyclones often pass over the sea, accompanied by western and southwestern winds at a speed of 4–6 m/s, and sometimes squalls.

The main types of bottom sediments common in the Sea of ​​Azov are silts, silts, sands, shell rocks and mixed sediments.
Silts accumulate in the deepest parts, in a hydrodynamically calm environment, and occupy the maximum areas of distribution. Aleurites are transitional varieties that border the central part of the reservoir and accumulate at a slight distance from the shore and in the apex of the Taganrog Bay. Sands and shell rocks have maximum spread on accumulative forms, sand and shell banks, as well as spits and beaches.

The small size and shallow depths of the sea contribute to the rapid development of wind waves. A few hours after the start of the wind, the waves reach a steady state and die out just as quickly when the wind stops. The waves are short, steep, and in the open sea they reach a height of 1–2 m, sometimes up to 3 m.

Interannual sea level fluctuations, determined by long-term changes in the components of the water balance, amount to several centimeters. Seasonal level changes mainly depend on the mode. Annual course level is characterized by its increase in the spring-summer months and decrease in autumn and winter, the range of fluctuations is on average 20 cm.

The prevailing winds over the sea cause significant surge fluctuations in the level. The most significant rises in level were observed in Taganrog - up to 6 m.

With sudden changes in wind, seiches can occur in the Sea of ​​Azov - free standing fluctuations in level. In port waters, seiches are generated with periods of several hours.

Currents in the sea are excited mainly by the wind. The level slope created as a result of the action of the wind causes compensatory currents. In the pre-estuary areas of the Don and Kuban rivers, discharge currents can be traced.

Under the influence of western and southwestern winds, a clockwise circulation of water is formed in the sea. Cyclonic circulation is also excited by eastern and northeastern winds, which are stronger in the northern part of the sea. With the same winds, but stronger in the southern part of the sea, the currents have an anticyclonic character. In light winds and calms, minor currents of alternating directions are observed.

Since the sea is dominated by the weak and moderate winds, currents with velocities up to 10 cm/s have the greatest repeatability. At strong winds(15–20 m/s) current speeds are 60–70 cm/s.

In the Kerch Strait, with northerly winds, a current from the Sea of ​​Azov is observed, and with winds with a southern component, Black Sea water flows into the sea. The prevailing current speeds in the strait increase from 10–20 to 30–40 cm/s in its narrowest part. After strong winds, compensatory currents develop in the strait.

Ice forms on the Sea of ​​Azov every year, and ice cover strongly depends on the nature of winter. In moderate winters, ice forms in the Taganrog Bay by early December. During December, fast ice is established along the northern coast of the sea, and a little later - along the remaining coasts. The width of the fast ice strip is from 1.5 km in the south to 6 km in the north. In the central part of the sea, only at the end of January - beginning of February does floating ice appear, which then freezes into ice fields of high concentration (9–10 points). The ice cover reaches its greatest development in the first half of February, when its thickness is 30–40 cm, in the Taganrog Bay - 60–80 cm.

Ice conditions during the winter are unstable. When changing cold and warm air masses and wind fields over the sea, the cracking and drift of ice fields and the formation of hummocks repeatedly occur. In mild winters, the central part of the sea is usually free of ice; it is observed only along the coast, in bays and estuaries.

Clearing of the sea from ice in moderate winters occurs during March, first in the southern regions and river mouths, then in the north and last of all in the Taganrog Bay. Average duration ice period - 4.5 months.

In winter, in almost the entire water area, the surface water temperature is negative or close to zero, only near the Kerch Strait it rises to 1–3°C. In summer, the surface temperature throughout the sea is uniform - 24–25°C. Maximum values in July–August in the open sea it reaches 28°C, and off the coast it can exceed 30°C.
The shallowness of the sea promotes the rapid spread of wind and convective mixing to the bottom, which leads to a leveling of the vertical temperature distribution: its difference in most cases does not exceed 1°C. However, in summer, when there is calm, a temperature jump layer is formed, limiting the exchange with the bottom layers.

The spatial distribution of salinity under the conditions of the natural influx of river waters was quite uniform; horizontal gradients were observed only in the Taganrog Bay, at the outlet of which a salinity of 6–8‰ prevailed. In the water area open sea salinity was in the range of 10–11‰. Vertical gradients were observed sporadically in almost all areas, mainly due to the influx of Black Sea waters. Seasonal changes did not exceed 1‰, only in the Taganrog Bay they increased under the influence of the intra-annual distribution of runoff.

Hydrocarbon deposits of the Azov Sea

In the Sea of ​​Azov, two areas are distinguished: the oil and gas Indolo-Kuban region, which corresponds to the trough of the same name in the structure of the basement and sedimentary cover, and the gas-bearing Western Ciscaucasia, which includes almost the entire remaining water area, with the exception of the eastern part of the Taganrog Bay. The latter is assigned to the Central-Pre-Caucasian gas-bearing region.

The oil and gas potential of the Azov Sea is associated with a wide range of sediments. It includes pre-Cretaceous (Triassic) deposits of the transitional (intermediate) complex and Cretaceous-Cenozoic strata of the sedimentary cover of the Scythian plate. According to deep exploratory drilling and well testing data, five oil and gas bearing and promising complexes have been identified in the water area: pre-Cretaceous, Lower Cretaceous, Upper Cretaceous-Eocene, Maikop and Middle Miocene-Pliocene. At the same time, industrial productivity was established only in the deposits of the Maikop series and the Middle-Upper Miocene, in which gas deposits were discovered.

In the Western Ciscaucasia region, in the zone of the Azov swell, Maikop deposits are productive in the Morskaya, Nebolskaya, West Beysugskaya, Beisugskaya and Strelkovaya areas. The gas content of Middle-Upper Miocene deposits has been established in the Obruchevskaya, Signalnaya, Zapadno-Beisugskaya and Oktyabrskaya areas. It should be noted that in the Beysugskaya area, which is, as it were, the border between the local uplifts of the Azov and Kanevsko-Berezansky swells, the main gas reserves are associated with the Eocene sandy-clayey formations of the Tikhoretsk and Cherkasy formations; Lower Cretaceous deposits are also productive, although gas reserves in them are insignificant.

In the offshore part of the Indolo-Kuban region, commercial gas content was established in the Middle Miocene clayey-carbonate formations in the North, North-Bulganak, North and East and Seismic exploration areas.

All gas deposits identified in the water area are located in the depth range of 300–1500 m, the reservoir pressures in them are close to hydrostatic, the initial flow rates of the wells are small and amount to the first tens of thousands of m3/day.

The volume of predicted hydrocarbon resources in the Sea of ​​Azov, estimated in 2002, amounted to about 1.5 billion tons of fuel equivalent (CF), including Russian sector Sea of ​​Azov 757.4 million tons of fuel oil. Of these, in the Indolo-Kuban trough - 35.7 million tons of carbon fuel, at the Timashov stage - 372.8 million tons of carbon fuel, on the Azov shaft - 342.1 million tons of carbon fuel and in the North Azov trough - 6.9 million tons of carbon fuel.

Until the recent past, the Azov Sea was the most productive fishing reservoir in the world. The ichthyofauna of the Azov Sea has a complex genesis and includes representatives of various faunal complexes - Mediterranean, Ponto-Caspian, boreal-Atlantic and freshwater. Currently it includes 103 species and subspecies of fish. Of these, 14 species are rare, 7 are endangered and vulnerable. The number of marine species is 39, freshwater - 8, anadromous and catadromous migrants - 14, brackish-water - 42. Average catches per unit of its water area were 70–80 kg/ha. In the second half of the 30s of the twentieth century, annual catches of “white” and “red” fish together with herring reached 140–170 thousand tons.

This was mainly determined by extremely favorable physical-geographical and, in particular, hydrometeorological conditions, which include:

• inland location of the Sea of ​​Azov in temperate latitudes on the southern edge of the Russian Plain;
• temperate continental climate;
• large influx of total solar radiation(from 4.9 to 5.3 thousand MJ/m2), positive for the year, causing a relatively high average annual and summer (11.5 ° C and 24–25 ° C, respectively);
• character determining, in particular, intense wind mixing of waters;
• a large, relative to the volume of the sea, influx of river waters enriched with nutrients, which determines a positive fresh balance;
• reduced salinity, approximately three times, compared to ocean waters;
• high concentrations of biogenic salts in its waters (total nitrogen on average 1000 mg/m3, including mineral - 120 mg/m3; total phosphorus - 65 mg/m3, including mineral - 9 mg/m3; silicon - 570 mg/m3 m3).

To a large extent, the high fish productivity of the Azov Sea was associated with the presence of huge areas (most of which have now been lost as a result of hydraulic engineering construction), floodplain and estuary spawning grounds for anadromous and semi-anadromous fish, the reproduction of which was ensured by a high and long spring season (55% of the annual volume in the natural period and 29% in modern times) or spring-summer floods.

Characterized by low inertia and rapid response to variability in river flow and processes that determine large spatiotemporal variability of not only hydrophysical and parameters, but also biological characteristics.

Currently, due to the impact of economic activities (mainly irrational fishing), commercial catches in the Azov Sea basin do not exceed 40 thousand tons, and the bulk of the catches are made up of only low-value fish species: sprat, anchovy, gobies, as well as an acclimatized species - sawn gas. Such valuable fish species as sturgeon, herring, vimba, shemaya, bream, carp, etc., which in the recent past formed the basis of the fishery, have now almost completely lost their commercial importance.

The regulation of the Don River in 1952 (the creation of the Tsimlyansk Reservoir), the reduction in flow volume by 13–15 km3 per year and other consequences of economic activities in the sea basin caused serious negative changes in the sea ecosystem.

A 30% decrease in the annual flow of the Don River and a significant reduction in the volume of floods caused a decrease in spawning areas and disrupted the conditions for the reproduction of freshwater species.

The quantity and composition of nutrients entering the sea and their distribution throughout the year have changed significantly. Most of suspended substances settle in the Tsimlyansk reservoir; their quantity introduced into the sea in spring and early summer has decreased significantly; the supply of mineral forms of phosphorus and nitrogen decreased and the amount of organic forms, which are more difficult for organisms to assimilate, sharply increased. Reaching to the sea nutrients They are mainly consumed in the Taganrog Bay and in small quantities are carried into the open sea.

Pollution of river and sea waters with various harmful substances has increased. chemicals- , phenols, in some areas of the sea - petroleum products. The greatest pollution is observed in the estuary areas of the Don and Kuban rivers and in water areas adjacent to large ports. Specified environmental changes led to a sharp drop in the biological productivity of the sea. The food supply of fish has decreased several times, and the total catches, mainly of valuable fish species, have decreased.

The water management situation in the sea basin is very tense. Currently, an average of about 28 km3 of river water enters the sea per year. With such a volume of runoff, it is possible to maintain its salinity within the range of 13–14‰. A further increase in water consumption in the reservoir basin is unacceptable, as this will cause an irreversible increase in salinity to the level of the Black Sea and will lead to deterioration of living conditions for the most valuable marine organisms.

The Sea of ​​Azov, especially its Russian part, is a zone favorable for the accumulation of a wide variety of pollutants, primarily because the bottom of this basin is almost completely covered with silt different composition, accumulating a variety of pollutants. At the same time, it is in the Russian part of this basin that most of the main sources of these pollutants are concentrated. This is, first of all, large rivers Don and Kuban, as well as whole line port cities, including such a large center as Rostov-on-Don. Almost all such sources are located in the Taganrog Bay, and Mariupol, which is one of the main polluters, is located in the territory, its influence is also felt in the Russian part of the bay. In addition, the Taganrog Bay has the largest extent of abrasion shores in the Sea of ​​Azov, many sections of which are subject to catastrophic erosion. Thus, the Taganrog Bay and its shores are the least environmentally stable in the entire Azov Sea. Smaller zones of pollution associated with the removal of pollutants from the land are outlined on the pre-estuary seaside of the Kuban and at the mouth of its Ponury channel, where water flows from rice paddies.

An important place in the Sea of ​​Azov, due to the nature of pollution, is occupied by a special strip of water area - the route of ships from the Kerch Strait to the Taganrog Bay. A special area in terms of environmental danger on the Russian coast of the Sea of ​​Azov is the zone of Kuban floodplains from Primorsko-Akhtarsk to Temryuk. Over the past 100 years, this entire area has twice experienced catastrophic flooding during storm surges from the northwest.

Recreational resources

The total length of the Sea of ​​Azov (within Russia) is about 1000 km and covers a vast territory within Rostov region and Krasnodar region. The coastal zone of the sea has favorable natural and climatic conditions for the development of recreational facilities. The recreational resources of the plain territory and the Eastern Azov region, of course, are inferior to the popular resorts of the Black Sea region, but upon careful consideration they can make a certain contribution to solving the problems of treatment and active rest population. Currently, it is advisable to use the territory to create the actual types of recreational systems (that is, only for recreation); the organization of medical and resort areas is possible only on the basis of deposits mineral waters and healing mud. Favorable natural conditions(sunshine, warm sea, sandy beaches, the presence of balneological springs) create a relatively favorable combination for organizing recreation, tourism and, possibly, treatment, designed to meet the needs various groups population. To improve the recreational qualities of the territory, it is necessary to resume work on drawing up a regional program for recreational environmental management, creating a network of medical and health enterprises that use the local natural potential and are designed primarily for local resident, as well as activities to develop standards and recommendations for the rational use of the coastal zone.

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BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES OF THE AZOV SEA AND THEIR USE BY HUMAN According to scientists, even in the first half of the twentieth century, the biological resources of the Azov Sea were so high that they had no equal among all other bodies of water in the World Ocean. Today, marine productivity has been significantly reduced. The basis of the industrial potential is fish stocks, which are represented by 79 species and subspecies. But many of them are no longer of commercial importance due to a sharp decline in numbers

Migratory fish species A peculiarity of representatives of this group of inhabitants of the reservoir is that they do not leave sea waters until puberty. After this, the individuals head to rivers to spawn. The entire spawning process takes from one to two months... The biological resources of the Sea of ​​Azov are distinguished by the presence of such valuable commercial fish species as stellate sturgeon, beluga, sturgeon, herring, shemaya, and vimba. All of them belong to the pass-through category.

Beluga is considered the largest fish that migrates to rivers to spawn. In the recent past, the species was not considered rare, but is now listed in the Red Book. In addition to the Azov Sea, it lives in the Caspian and Black Sea. The Azov beluga most often ascends the Don River to breed. Kuban is used less for caviar by sturgeon.

Semi-anadromous fish species Pike perch, ram, bream, sabrefish - these are the names of fish belonging to the category of semi-anadromous fish; there are twelve of them in the group. They, like representatives of migratory species, go from the sea to rivers to spawn. But the difference is that this whole process for semi-anadromous animals takes a long time, sometimes up to a year. In addition, young animals can remain in rivers throughout the winter.

One of the representatives of this category of fish is pike perch. A fairly common species, found in the basin of not only the Azov, but also the Baltic, Caspian, Black, and Aral seas. Pike perch is a large predator that feeds on invertebrates and small fish. The size of an adult individual can reach one meter in length, and the weight is usually 10-15 kilograms.

Marine species The biological resources of the Sea of ​​Azov are largely represented by this group of fish. There are 47 representatives in the category. Marine fish species include sawfish, gobies, flounder, needlefish, glossa, perkarina, sprat, and three-spined gnat. The peculiarity that distinguishes these particular fish of the Azov Sea is that they constantly live in salty waters. This is where reproduction occurs, the young hatch, and reach sexual maturity.

Pilengas is one of the most common inhabitants of the sea. It is interesting because it was specially brought into the pool about 40-50 years ago. In a fairly short period, it managed to successfully acclimatize, and today the fish is considered a commercial species. The size of the sawfish is impressive - up to 150 centimeters in length and weighing up to 12 kilograms.

Migratory fish species When describing the biological resources of the Azov Sea, it is necessary to mention the species that make constant migrations. Species of marine fish such as Azov and Black Sea anchovy, herring, singil, mullet, horse mackerel, red mullet, sharpnose, Black Sea Kalkan, mackerel, regularly change their habitats, crossing from the Black Sea to the Azov Sea or vice versa.

Of the four known varieties of red mullet, only one of them lives in the basin. The fish live in schools in the bottom waters. In the upper layers of the seabed it finds small animals that serve as food for the mullet. The fish is of commercial importance.

Freshwater species Sterlet, bleak, silver carp, ide, and pike are freshwater fish, despite their habitat in sea waters. Belonging to the group is explained by the fact that they inhabit desalinated sea areas. For this reason, fish do not make large migrations. There are a total of 13 species in the category.

Use of natural resources Today, the state of the ecology of the Sea of ​​Azov is causing concern among specialists. The thoughtless use of natural resources and the intensive reduction of river flows have led to a fourfold decrease in fish species. Their total number has decreased by 10-15 times. These dramatic changes in the ecosystem have occurred in less than 80 years and are associated exclusively with human economic activity.

Since the year 2000, commercial catching of sturgeon has been prohibited due to a sharp decline in the number of the species. The list of bodies of water where the ban applies includes the Sea of ​​Azov. The description of fish species that require careful treatment, unfortunately, is not limited to sturgeon. Flounder and mullet have also lost their commercial importance.

The water area of ​​the Azov Sea is used for economic purposes by two states - Russia and Ukraine. The well-being of the region, as well as the improvement of the environmental situation throughout the entire basin, depends on the coordination of their actions.

Maximum depth Sea of ​​Azov - 14 meters, average depth is about 5-8 meters. The area of ​​the water basin is 37,605 sq. km. excluding islands and spits, which occupy about 108 square meters. km.

general description

The seashores are low. The underwater relief is characterized by a smooth transition to increasing depth, from the shores to the middle. The maximum depth of the Azov Sea is in the center. The reservoir has several bays, the largest:

• Temryuksky;
• Taganrog.

There is also Sivash, or rather even an estuary, very isolated from the water area.

The reservoir does not have large islands, but there are several shallows that are often filled with water (these are Biruchiy and Turtle). Azov is considered one of the youngest flat-bottom pools.

origin of name

Back in the 1st century BC, Rus' knew about the Sea of ​​Azov, but then called it the Blue Sea. During the existence of the Tmutarakan principality, the reservoir was called Russian. Already at the beginning of the 18th century, the sea received a new name - Saksinsky. With the arrival of the Tatar-Mongols, new names again appeared at the reservoir, Balyk-dengiz and Chabak-dengiz. One version says that it was the word “Chabak” that was transformed and became “Azov”. Although the theory is quite dubious. Another version says that the word “Azov” is Turkic and is translated as “low”. But the most reliable version can be considered the fact that the Sea of ​​Azov was named after the same name locality. The name was fixed during the reign of Peter I.

Biological and coastal resources

According to some scientists, the biological resources of the Azov Sea have signs of oil potential. There are two factors to support this:

• the presence of mud volcanoes on the coast;
• gas field at the bottom of the sea.

The first gas well is already operating in the Genichesk area, which increases the importance of the Kherson region.

The shores of Azov also have deposits of iron ore, which is mined on the Kerch Peninsula. The same deposits were discovered on the western shore near Mariupol.

However, the importance of Azov is not limited to gas and iron ore. The biological resources of the Sea of ​​Azov are also the sand of the Berda River, which flows into the Sea of ​​Azov. It contains a high percentage of apatite.

Another important biological resource of the Azov Sea is salt. The Chumaks followed her to Sivash, and before them the Greeks and Scythians. In the 19th century, salt production in the region reached 200 thousand tons. However, later competition came from Donbass rock salt and gradually production sea ​​salt in Azov decreased. Now it is mined no more than 60 thousand tons per year.

The Sivash Bay is also a valuable complex of chemical raw materials. There is a huge amount of brine here, a high content of chemical elements, which in some places are 20 times higher than in the sea itself. Valuable elements of brine include bromine and magnesium, which are already used by some chemical enterprises in the Azov region and Northern Crimea.

Animal world

The biological resources of the Azov Sea are characterized by high productivity. Only phytoplankton biomass is 200 grams per 1 cubic meter. At the same time, the bottom flora is poor. But there are 79 species of fish in the Sea of ​​Azov. Therefore, fish catch is about 100 thousand tons per year. So, for 1 hectare of the surface of Azov there are about 80 kg of fish, in the Black Sea only - 2 kg, and in the Mediterranean even less - 0.5 kg. The following types of fish valuable for industry are distinguished:

• sprat;
• anchovy;
• bulls;
• mullet;
• sturgeon;
• herring;
• flounder.

Conventionally, the fish of Azov are divided into 4 categories:

• sturgeon, which come to spawn in river floodplains;
• fish that have chosen the lower reaches of rivers are also called semi-anadromous;
• permanently residing in the waters of Azov;
• fish that goes into the waters of the Black Sea.

At the same time, the salinity of the water increases, which negatively affects the productivity of certain species of fish, and its quantity decreases.

Azov is rich not only in fish, but also in shellfish. Here live mussels, heartfish, sandesmia and others, which are a source of food for fish in the Sea of ​​​​Azov.

And jellyfish got into the Sea of ​​Azov completely by accident, when in the 70s of the last century the waters of the Black Sea entered the reservoir. Along with them came a jellyfish, feeding on plankton, of which there is plenty here.

There is only one dolphin in the sea - the Azov dolphin and one shark - the katran. It is also called the sea dog. The largest individuals reach only 1 meter in length; this fish is absolutely safe for humans. The only thing is that the katran has spines on its fins, which can cause serious injuries if the fish is handled carelessly.

Feathered

The fauna of the Azov Sea is represented by a huge number of birds. These are the white-eyed duck, golden eagle and short-eared owl, great egret and bittern. Naturally, the most common birds of Azov are gulls and terns, which can be found on any shore of the sea.

However, not all birds are welcome by residents of the Azov Sea coast. Recently, cormorants have appeared in the water area, turning the shores practically into an environmental disaster zone. In particular, enormous damage was caused to the Living Scythe, where these large birds there are more than 10 thousand. Previously, the bird lived on the Danube floodplains, and appeared in the Azov region only a few years ago. The cormorant can reach 1 meter in length, and its droppings cause enormous damage. Therefore, the bird was expelled from the Danube floodplain. In addition, the cormorant has already destroyed more than 33 hectares forest plantations on Obitochnaya Spit. The forest on the spit is already called dead. A cormorant can eat about 1 kg of fish per day, and if you multiply this by the number of individuals, you get an impressive figure. And the bird loves not only goby, but also pike perch.

Finally

Naturally, to economic importance The Sea of ​​Azov did not decline further; the reservoir requires protection. Every year the river flow into the sea decreases, and this is a progressive salinization of the reservoir. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop an economic and environmental model and assess the effectiveness of the impact of the projected Kerch hydroelectric complex. It is necessary to strengthen fish farming activities in order to restore the diversity of fish species, in particular sturgeon.

So, we have examined the biological resources of the Sea of ​​​​Azov.