Rare fish living in the Barents Sea. Amateur fishing in the Barents Sea

SEA OF OKHOTSK The average depth is 859 m, the maximum is 3846 m. ​​The shores are made of rocks, in some places they drop vertically to the water. Many bays and bays. The largest islands: Kuril, Sakhalin, Shantar. The climate is harsh. Ice covers the sea for 7–8 months of the year. Not uncommon in summer

THE WHITE SEA Gets its name from its ice cover. For more than half of the year it binds the sea waters of this small semi-enclosed body of water near the Arctic Circle. By its nature, the White Sea is arctic, harsh and cold. The average depth is about 60 m, the greatest

In the Caribbean, or a week without sleep The first day of sailing went well. A fresh trade wind was blowing, the waves were moderate, and in the evening there was a communication session with Gdynia-Radio, which ended with a phone call home. I was finally able to talk to my husband. The audibility turned out to be

Black Sea Compared to the Mediterranean, and all other seas and oceans, the Black Sea is the least rich in life. After all, starting from a depth of 200 m, and in some places even less, almost nothing living is found here! In black sea ​​water at great depths a large amount is dissolved

Mediterranean Sea Since time immemorial, the gentle waters of the Mediterranean Sea have been plied by military and merchant ships, on its shores people built cities and towns, and fishermen fished. Transparent Mediterranean water beckons you to look under its crystal waves! Not

Planning to go to sea It is important to emphasize once again that success in underwater hunting is achieved, first of all, with the help of numerous knowledge and experience, improving diving techniques, and not advanced equipment. The most fortunate have innate

Carnation in the sea In the winter of 1966/67, the aquanauts, not forgetting about preparing for the next expedition to the south, continued research on the Blue Lakes, near Leningrad. We studied the formation and development of ice cover, heat exchange between the surface of lakes and the atmosphere, transparency,

Grains of sand in the sea... The condition of the Chernomor did not inspire fear. Having healed the scratches and bruises received after another storm, he was preparing for a new voyage under water. It was the turn of the geologists. Today they have to go to the bottom of the Blue Bay. - Prepare for the dive! -

Inhabitants of the tropics often have unusual look and bright colors. But the Barents Sea, located in the north, is no less rich in strange inhabitants. A fisherman from Murmansk introduces them to his subscribers on social networks.

The Barents Sea is the marginal water area of ​​the Northern Arctic Ocean on the border with the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the harsh climatic conditions, its waters are home to many living creatures.

There are 114 species of fish here. 20 of them have commercial value: cod, haddock, herring, sea bass, catfish, flounder, halibut, burbot and others. In the 20th century, the Kamchatka crab was introduced into the sea, which was able to adapt to new conditions and begin to reproduce intensively. In addition, many different echinoderms are distributed along the bottom of the entire water area, sea ​​urchins and starfish of various types.

Catfish

Catfish is a family of marine fish of the Anarhichadiae order of perciformes that live in the northern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, where the water temperature does not rise above 14 degrees. This fish got its name not by chance - because of its strong, strongly developed jaw with sharp, inwardly curved teeth and protruding fangs, like those of a wolf (by the way, in France, catfish is called “sea wolf”).

Lumpfish

In lumpfish, or round-finned fish, the pelvic fins are modified into a kind of sucker located on the belly under the pectoral fins. This suction cup serves them to attach to rocks during storms or when water moves rapidly during high and low tides. (Liparidae).

The richest ichthyofauna of the Barents Sea. At least 140 species have been recorded here. Most of them are typical marine forms that spend their entire lives in salt waters and reproduce here. Some species are migratory (salmon, brown trout, char, whitefish, etc.). their life cycle passes both in salt and in fresh water. Some species belong to river fish and are found only in desalinated waters near river mouths (pike, ide, palim)

All fish and fish-like species living in the Barents Sea represent 53 families. The richest species are cod (18 species) and eelpout (13 species). gobies (12 species), flounders (9 species), salmon and skates (7 species each). Most families are represented by 1-2 species.

Many commercial fish make long migrations and can be found in different areas in different seasons of the year, penetrating far to the north and east. These are, first of all, the most important fish for trawl fishing, such as cod, haddock, and sea bass. Some fish, such as capelin and herring, dramatically change their habitat with age, others, living in the bottom layers, do not migrate and are found throughout all seasons in the same places.

In relation to temperature conditions, all barnacled fishes can be classified into two groups: representatives of the boreal-arctic or warm-water-boreal fauna. Most of the marine fish. of commercial importance, belongs to the boreal-low Arctic fauna, i.e. organisms widespread in the seas south of the Arctic Circle, but adapted to life in more harsh conditions. For such species (ceibdb. capelin, cod), the Barents Sea is the northern or eastern limit of distribution. The borsal fauna is home to about half of all species, but they are usually found only in the western part of the sea, without going far to the east. Typical representatives of the other group are cod and navaga. Among the warm-water guests in the Barents Sea, mackerel, blue whiting, whiting, and argentina are noted. gate

Compared to the Barents Sea species composition The ichthyofauna of the White Sea is much poorer. According to some researchers, 51 species have been registered. according to others, 68. Of these, 12 are semi-passable. The impoverishment of the ichthyofauna of the White Sea is explained primarily by the unique living conditions of animals; it is not for nothing that it is called a sea of ​​contrasts. By its nature, it is a harsh and cold sea. But in summer it becomes warm water. Boreal inhabitants are forced to adapt to existence in different temperature conditions, as well as conditions of long-term (up to 6 months) fasting, naturally, sacrificing a lot. As a result, they are characterized by slower growth, smaller size and fecundity, and more short term life from similar species inhabiting the Barents Sea, where seasonal changes in conditions occur gradually, without a sharp transition from winter to summer. This is clearly seen in the example of the White Sea cod, which is an ancient native of the Atlantic Ocean. In the process of thousands of years of adaptation to difficult living conditions, it acquired a number of characteristic features, which sharply distinguish it from Atlantic cod. The Belomorskaya is inferior to it in life expectancy by 2 times, in body length by 3, and in weight by tens of times. The average body growth per year for Atlantic cod is 16 times greater. It can reproduce for 16 years, and the White Sea - only 8 years. The fertility of the latter is also significantly lower, so during its entire life it lays almost 15 times fewer eggs.

The Arctic inhabitants of the White Sea are in incomparably better conditions. Low water temperature does not affect their life activity. All of them reproduce in winter, and after this they begin to fatten up.

The main commercial fish of the White Sea are herring, navaga, smelt, cod, flounder and whitefish. Salmon occupies a special place. Until the mid-60s, it was caught 3-4 times more than on the Murmansk coast, and the total catch was a third of the world catch of this type of salmon. Now catches have dropped sharply. Human activity has significantly changed the ichthyofauna, unfortunately, not in better side. The introduction of new fishing gear and improved means of transport led to the destruction of previously numerous populations, such as Atlantic herring. Pollution of water bodies, regulation of river flows. the creation of artificial reservoirs, the construction of dams, and the floating of timber seriously affect fish stocks. Various acclimatization measures - breeding new species - can have negative consequences. This can and has already led to the undermining of local populations and the disappearance of the fish species most adapted to certain conditions.

Sharks. A rather primitive group of animals that has a number of specific differences from bony fish. For example, sharks do not have real bones; their skeleton is cartilaginous. The upper part of the caudal fin is larger than the lower part. The skin is covered with special placoid scales. Shark jaws are well armed sharp teeth, located in several rows.

Several species of sharks live in Arctic waters. Of these, it stands out for its size giant shark, reaching 11-13 m. The herring shark is much smaller, as well as the widespread spiny dogfish shark, reaching only 1 m in length. The latter species began to be hunted in our century because of fish oil, which is extracted from the liver, and also began to be used for processing at fishmeal. Previously, back in the last century, the basis of the shark fishery was the polar shark, whose length exceeds 6 m and weighs about 1000 kg. Currently, this fishery has almost completely ceased.

TO cartilaginous fish include stingrays, very peculiar marine animals. These are typically bottom-dwelling organisms, as is clearly evidenced by their appearance: the stingray’s body is flat, as if flattened. In our region there are star, arctic, smooth, shagreen and spiny stingrays.

The Herring family includes the most common commercial species, such as Atlantic and Atlantic-Scandinavian herring. The biology of herring is very interesting. Upon reaching sexual maturity (by 5-6 years), such fish form spawning schools. Depending on the time of spawning, eggs are deposited in a continuous layer on the bottom either near the coast or on ocean banks. The main spawning grounds for Murmansk herds are the shores of Norway. Herring no longer returns to the Barents Sea. The hatched larvae form large aggregations during the first year of life. The size of the larvae is 0.5 cm, the size of an adult animal reaches 40 cm and weighs 600 g. Usually, the herring is much smaller. In summer and autumn, herring approaches the northern shores of the Kola Peninsula. In rich harvest years, Atlantic herring also enters the Beloye Mors.

A variety of Atlantic herring is the small White Sea herring, which in some years plays a large role in fishing. Herrings also include sprat and others.

Whitefish family. One of the hard to define groups. There are believed to be 6 species in Northern Europe, which are divided into more than 50 subspecies and forms. Whitefishes are related to another family - salmonids. What both families have in common is the presence of an adipose fin. But there are also differences: whitefish have larger scales and a smaller mouth. lack of teeth on the jaws and a deep notch on the caudal fin. The color of whitefish is silver-gray. They are very widespread in both rivers and lakes.

IN Murmansk region whitefish is the most important commercial fish. Forms a large number of groups - each large lake has more than one herd, which differ in appearance, lifestyle, behavior. Some herds migrate. Whitefish feed on various small crustaceans. Spawning usually occurs in the fall, but timing may vary among groups. Eggs are deposited on pebble shallows. Its further development before hatching takes place within 2 months.

The same family includes vendace and peled.

Family Salmonidae. Representatives of this family are quite large in size. The body (except for the head) is completely covered with scales. All have an adipose fin, which is located between the dorsal and caudal fins. The origin of this family is connected only with the northern hemisphere; they came to more southern bodies of water due to acclimatization. Many species make feeding migrations to the sea and thrive in cold waters. Due to the ability to live in both sea (salt) and fresh water and migration from rivers to lakes and seas, these fish are called anadromous. The most important migratory species is salmon.

Atlantic (noble) salmon. In the North of Russia, Atlantic salmon is called salmon. This - big fish, reaching a length of 1.5 m. Individual specimens can weigh up to 30-40 kg. The body of salmon is elongated, moderately compressed laterally, with a relatively thin caudal peduncle. The caudal fin in adult fish has a shallow notch. The color of Atlantic salmon changes at different stages of its life cycle. Juveniles have from 8 to 11 wide dark transverse stripes on their sides, between which small red spots are visible, hence the name - parr. Towards the end of the river life period, the juveniles change their color: the transverse striping disappears, and the body color from yellowish-greenish or olive becomes silver. Salmon that live in the sea have a silver-white body underneath and a brown-green back. Small X-shaped spots are scattered along the surface of the body, especially above the lateral line. dark spots. As spawning approaches, sexually mature fish begin to acquire nuptial plumage (loose). They lose their silver color and become bronze or brown. Red and orange spots appear on the head and sides. Not only the appearance changes, but also the skeleton. In males, the front teeth enlarge, the snout and lower jaw lengthen and curve in a hook-like manner (sometimes similar changes are observed in old females). During this period, the fish stop feeding.

Being a typically migratory fish, Atlantic salmon spends part of its life in the sea and part in the river. On the Kola Peninsula, Lake Imandra is home to salmon, whose entire life cycle takes place in fresh water. Salmon from the rivers of the Barents and White Seas feed in the Norwegian Sea, where they stay close to the shore - at depths of no more than 120 m. They feed on capelin, sand lance, herring, smelt and other fish, as well as some crustaceans. Having lived at sea from 1 to 3-4 years. adult individuals migrate (up to 1.5 thousand km long) to the rivers where they hatched. Here, sea-raised salmon reproduce.

Salmon spawning occurs in October - November, when the water temperature in the rivers drops to 9-7 ° C. For this, areas with a current speed of 0.5 to 1.5 m/ss and depths of 0.2 to 1.5-2 m are selected. The female uses body movements and tail, digs a depression 2-3 m long in the sand and pebble soil, where it lays eggs, which are immediately inseminated by males. She then uses her tail to cover the eggs with gravel and pebbles, thus making a nest. Spawning of each female can last up to two weeks. During this time, she makes several nests.

Most adult Atlantic salmon die after the first spawning. Some of the spawned spawners survive and come to spawn a second time. Individual specimens can survive even after the second spawning and come to the river on the third, and exceptional cases- and for the fourth time. The surviving spawned individuals (the roller) sometimes roll into the sea water soon after spawning, but more often they remain in the river for the winter and leave in the spring after the ice breaks up. At the same time, they begin to actively feed. An interesting biological feature of salmon is the presence of dwarf males in its population. Unlike ordinary migratory fish, they never leave rivers and become sexually mature already in the second year of life with a length of only about 10 cm. In appearance, dwarf males differ little from juveniles (pargers), but they participate in spawning together with ordinary males.

Hatching of the embryos occurs in April - May. Juveniles spend from 1 to 5 years in rivers, most often 2-4 years. It grows slowly during this period: before migrating to the sea average length juveniles are 10-15 cm, and body weight does not exceed 20 g.

Despite the high fertility of salmon (one female lays from 3 to 10 thousand eggs), the commercial return from eggs spawned by the female is very low - only 0.04-0.12%,” with 87-90% of the fry emerging from the nests dying on the first same year of life in the river, and less than 1% survive to go to sea.

Industrial salmon fishing was carried out in 18 rivers of the Kola Peninsula. However, due to unsustainable fishing, the numbers of many populations decreased significantly, and fishing had to be stopped. So. As a result of hydraulic construction, the populations of the Teriberka and Voronya rivers were lost. In the future, there may be a loss of Drozdovka populations. Ivanovka and Iokangi. Currently, only some rivers of the peninsula have preserved salmon populations of commercial importance (the Var-Zuga and Umba rivers). The largest population in the Barents Sea basin is the Pechora population, the average annual number of which in different periods ranged from 80 to 160 thousand. In the last decade, annual catches have decreased by 2 times. There are many reasons for this. Continued rafting of timber on salmon rivers, construction of various types of hydroelectric power stations. unsustainable fishing, poaching, water pollution industrial waste- all together leads to a decrease in the reserves of this most valuable fish in our region.

Pink salmon. Work on the acclimatization of Pacific salmon - pink salmon - in the waters of the Barents and White Seas began in 1956. Caviar from the Far East was delivered by plane to fish hatcheries in our region, where it was pre-incubated. Over the course of a number of years, hatcheries in the Northern Basin produced from 6 to 36 million juveniles. In addition, for several years at the Taybolsky plant, additional fry were obtained from eggs collected from local producers. In some years, pink salmon large quantities entered the rivers of the European North. Such massive visits to the Kola Peninsula were observed in 1960, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1977. After the import of caviar ceased in 1978, the number of pink salmon began to decline. In recent years, single specimens have entered the rivers of the Barents Sea basin.

Spawning of pink salmon in the rivers of the Murmansk region occurs in August - October when the water temperature in the river drops to 5 ° C and below. In sexually mature individuals, the nuptial plumage begins to appear while still at sea, but it takes on its final form already at the spawning grounds. The spawning of pink salmon is similar to the spawning of other salmon. The average fertility of a female is 1.5 thousand eggs. After spawning, the spawners die. The young leave their nests the next year when the water temperature in the river is above 5°C and almost immediately migrate to the sea. In a year. Having become sexually mature, pink salmon return to the river to procreate. The entry of fish begins in May, reaches its maximum in July - August and continues until October.

Many years of work on acclimatization of fbush in the Barents and White Seas did not produce encouraging results. However, this species of salmon can be quite used as an object of mariculture. In this regard, in recent years, the development of methods for pasture cultivation of pink salmon has begun in Bely Mors. For these purposes, in 1984-^-1985. The delivery of pink salmon caviar from the Magadan region to the Onega fish hatchery was resumed, which was reconstructed specifically for the incubation of caviar of this species.

In recent years, a new species has been used for acclimatization - steelhead salmon, of which rainbow trout is one of the varieties. This species was originally distributed in the rivers of the West Coast North America, but then they actively began to resettle it on other continents. Representatives of this species grow well, are more resistant to high temperatures, and tolerate slight pollution of water bodies, so they are used for breeding in reservoirs where heated water is discharged from nuclear power plants. For example, at the Kola Nuclear Power Plant such experiments had some success.

However, the release of new species into local water bodies is highly undesirable, since they can displace valuable local species such as brown trout. It lives in lakes and can weigh up to 4 kg. For spawning it rises into rivers and streams from fast current. The biology of brown trout is similar to that of its close relative, salmon. Brown trout have 2 main forms - migratory and residential. It is extremely sensitive to water quality and cannot tolerate pollution of water bodies at all.

The rapids of most rivers in the Murmansk region are inhabited by brook trout, which are smaller than brown trout, although both belong to the same species. The difference in size is explained by their habitat and... hence, differences in nutrition and growth rates. Trout and brown trout differ in color only as adults, but juveniles are very similar.

Arctic char, or palia, a fish with very small scales that reaches large sizes (up to 10 kg or more), should also be included in this species. Lake char is much smaller. Char is a valuable fishery target, like other salmon. It is very sensitive to water quality, temperature conditions, pollution chemicals, as well as to acclimatizing species. In this regard, special methods of protecting char are needed to prevent its loss from the ichthyofauna of our water bodies.

Grayling (Harpus family) is also sensitive to unfavorable factors. This species is widespread in water bodies of the Murmansk region. The size of grayling is small, usually does not exceed 40 cm (rarely - up to 50 cm), weight - in the range of 1 -1.5 kg. This is a typical river fish that prefers clean clear water, rich in oxygen. Grayling also lives in lakes. It feeds on insect larvae (caddisflies, mayflies), as well as mollusks, small crustaceans and adult insects that have fallen into the water, especially during the mass summer of mayflies and caddisflies.

Smelt family. Small relatives of noble salmon and brown trout. Very widespread. Many of them are typical marine species, some go to fresh water bodies to spawn, and a small part lives there permanently. Representatives of this family have dorsal and adipose fins, and scales fall off easily. Freshwater smelt rarely exceeds 20 cm. The mouth is large, and there are large teeth on the jaws. Freshly caught smelt smells like fresh cucumber. Spawning is taking place early spring, still under the ice. In addition to the fact that smelt is of commercial importance, it is also of great importance as an object of mass food for other species of fish. Very sensitive to water pollution.

Capelin. This is a medium-sized schooling pelagic fish with a body length of up to 20-22 cm. It is found in the Arctic waters of the North Atlantic, including throughout the Barents Sea. Sometimes, in years of large numbers, it enters the White Sea. During the year it makes regular migrations (feeding, wintering, spawning). Depending on the season, fish concentrate in different areas of the sea. In summer, during the feeding period, schools of large, mature capelin live in the northeastern regions of the sea; smaller immature ones (at the age of 1-2 years) accumulate in the central regions. In September - October, with the seasonal cooling of the Barents Sea waters, the wintering migration of sexually mature capelin begins: from the feeding areas, the fish moves in the southern and southwestern directions. IN initial period wintering in the central regions of the Barents Sea, accumulations of individuals of different age groups are observed - here there is a mixing of mature and immature fish. Later, separation occurs: large individuals (14-20 cm long) migrate to the southern regions for spawning, and immature capelin remain in wintering areas (north of 74°30"N).

The main spawning of Barents Sea capelin occurs most often from February to May in the areas of Finnmarken and on the Murmansk coast at depths from 12 to 280 m. Females spawn weakly sticky eggs directly to the bottom - onto sand or fine gravel. In the period from April to June, a massive hatching of larvae occurs, which are carried from the spawning areas by the Murmansk and Novaya Zemlya currents in the eastern and northeastern directions. At the end of August - beginning of September, juvenile capelin (its length at this time is 3-4 cm) spreads in the central part of the Barents Sea (up to 76-77° N). and to the east it reaches the shores of Novaya Zemlya. In October - November, capelin underyearlings, mixing with mature fish that come from the feeding grounds from the north, create wintering aggregations.

Capelin is characterized by a rapid growth rate in the initial period of life. By the end of the first year, the length of the fish averages 10-12 cm. Barents Sea capelin reaches its maximum length (20-22 cm) at the age of 4 years. The maximum age for males is 7 years, for females - 6. Capelin is a typical planktivore.

Its main food is mass species meso- and macroplankton (calanus, euphausiids, hyperiids, chstognaths). In general, capelin feed on any available food. Following food, it makes vertical migrations, the daily rhythm of which is most pronounced in March - April: with sunrise, capelin descends to the bottom layers of the sea, and with sunset it rises to the upper horizons. In summer, under polar day conditions, vertical migrations, although observed, do not have a clear daily rhythm.

In recent years, capelin stocks have been severely undermined, mainly due to the unsustainable method of fishing - deep-sea trawls. Therefore, it was decided to stop fishing for several years to restore capelin stocks.

Cod family. Exclusively marine fish (except for one species). They have 2-3 dorsal fin and 1-2 - anal, there is a antennae on the chin, the scales are small. Distinctive feature These fish are characterized by the absence of spines on all fins. About 30 species live in European waters, of which the most important is cod, which is very widespread. Keeps in packs. It feeds on various crustaceans, worms, fish, especially small species such as gerbil and capelin. Adult fish migrate because different races Cod spawn at different depths and in different areas.

Cod has long been the most important commercial species. If earlier there were quite large specimens - up to 90 kg, then in recent years cod has been much smaller in size - on average about 10 kg or less. The biology of cod is well understood, but there are still many problems. The most important of them is determining the size of the fish catch and proper management of the fishery, since the cod population in the Barents Sea basin has been severely undermined.

Other commercial marine fish include sea bass, haddock, halibut and catfish. Among the representatives of freshwater fauna, in addition to the species already mentioned, it is worth noting pike and river perch, which are found in many reservoirs and are well known to amateur fishermen.

Finishing brief overview class of fish, we note that the ichthyofauna of the Murmansk region is rich and diverse. Since ancient times, fish have been hunted in the seas, lakes and rivers of the Kola North. The most important commercial species were and still are cod, halibut, and salmon. Excessive fishing, irrational fishing methods, and severe environmental pollution have sharply reduced fish stocks. It is no coincidence that in recent years the fishing fleet has been fishing far beyond our territorial waters. At the end of the 80s, the question arose about introducing a ban on fishing in the Barents Sea. Several fish hatcheries were built, 3 fishery reserves were organized on the rivers Note, Ponoye and Varzuga, and the fight against poaching and pollution of water bodies is underway. However, this is clearly not enough and more drastic measures are required to prevent the depletion of the composition of the ichthyofauna and the population size of especially valuable species.

BARENTS SEA.

Geographical location. Bottom relief.

The Barents Sea is limited from the north by the archipelagos of Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land, from the west by Bear Island, from the east by Novaya Zemlya, and from the south by the mainland (from Cape North Cape to the Yugra Ball). In its configuration, it resembles a rhombus, the meridial axis of which is 1300-1400 km, and the latitudinal axis is 1100-1200 km.

The area of ​​the Barents Sea is estimated at 1360 thousand km 2. The sea is located within the continental shallows and is therefore relatively shallow. The greatest depth of the sea is 548 m. This depth is located in the western part of the sea, between the meridians 20 and 21°. As you move east, the depths decrease. The average sea depth is 199.3 m.

The Barents Sea is a part of the European continent, which in a relatively late era sank and was flooded with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. There are still traces of the bottom river valleys. This is also proven by the relatively shallow depths, flat, slightly hilly bottom topography (banks), the presence of long and wide valleys (troughs) and the geological community of the islands. rocks with continental rocks bounding this sea. 

The deepest trench is between the mainland and Bear Island. The depths here reach 500 m. The second trench runs between the Bear Islands and Spitsbergen. There is less depth here. The third trench is between Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land and the fourth is between Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. In addition, in the middle of the sea there is a vast depression with a depth of about 400 m.

Shallow waters - the central highland, the Perseus highland, the Spitsbergen bank, the Novaya Zemlya shallow water, the Kaninsko-Kolguevsky shallow water, the Murmansk shallow water, the Goose bank - are separated by gutters and depressions. Depths in shallow waters do not exceed 200 m, usually ranging from 100 to 200 m. Shallow waters and banks are the main fishing areas in the Barents Sea.

Of the rivers flowing into the Barents Sea, the most significant is. Smaller rivers are , , (Motovsky Bay), , (Kola Bay), Indiga, , Chesha and others ()

Banks and soil.

The soils of the Barents Sea are mainly not of oceanic origin, but of terrigenous origin - sands, silty sands, sandy silts. In addition, in the Barents Sea there are soils of autochthonous origin. In the western part of the Barents Sea, the soils are dense, in the southwestern part spiculose silt was deposited, in the southeastern part there are yellow soils - the result of river removal, in the northern part there are brown soils containing a lot of iron and manganese.

The shores of the Barents Sea in the southwestern part of the fiord type are high, steep, composed of ancient crystalline rocks. These are the shores of Finnmarken in Norway. The Murmansk shores of Russia are also of fiord type. From Cape Kanin Nos to the east the shores are sloping and low.

Of the bays, the largest are Motovsky, Kola, of the bays - Teriberskaya, Cheshskaya with the inner, smaller Indigskaya Bay.

Hydrology.

For the Barents Sea, water exchange with the ocean is of great importance. The Gulf Stream waters emerging from the Gulf of Mexico give rise to the warm Atlantic Current, the branches of which penetrate into the Norwegian and Barents Seas. On the border of the Barents Sea, south of the Medvezheostrovskaya Bank, Atlantic current will split into the Spitsbergen and North Cape branches. The Spitsbergen branch, more powerful, is directed further in the form of a deep (covered by Arctic water) current into the polar basin, where it forms a warm intermediate layer. This layer was first discovered by Nansen and explored by the Papaninites during their drift on the ice floe in 1937.

The waters of the North Cape branch enter the Barents Sea between Bear Island and Cape North Cape. Due to the peculiarities of the bottom topography, this branch splits into 4 jets. Of particular importance are two southern jets that affect the water regime of the southern part of the sea. The coastal, Murmansk, branch runs along the shores of Murman, heading from the North Cape to the Kanin Peninsula. The second branch runs further north and its waters reach Novaya Zemlya. This flow scheme was established by N.M. Knipovich in 1906. Later, in the thirties, other Russian researchers made some additions to this scheme that did not change the essence of the scheme established by N.M. Knipovich.

Warm (4-12°) and at the same time more saline (34.8-35.2 ‰) Atlantic waters, entering the Barents Sea and meeting local colder and less saline waters, form the so-called polar front. When waters of different physical composition meet, Atlantic waters cool and sink. Powerful vertical circulation causes abundant aeration of deep waters and the removal of nutritious organic substances to the surface layers. As a result, biological productivity in the polar front zone is especially high.

According to L.A. Zenkevich, benthos biomass in these areas reaches 600-1000 g per 1 m2, decreasing outside these areas to 20-50 g per 1 m2.

The Barents Sea, being a transitional sea between the Norwegian - north-boreal and Kara - Arctic seas, is characterized by a corresponding temperature: in the western part, even in winter, the water temperature is positive from the surface to the bottom. In the middle part of the northern half of the sea, even in summer only a thin surface layer warms up, and deeper water has a negative temperature. In the southern half of the middle part at a depth of 200-250 m, the water warms up in summer to 1.5-2.0°. In the northeastern part of the sea in summer and at the surface, the water temperature remains low. Off the coast of Murman, the surface temperature in August, during the period of maximum warming, reaches 12°C and even slightly more. The most low temperature in the Barents Sea at a depth of 50-75 m.

The northern and eastern parts of the sea are covered with ice for a significant part of the year. The southwestern part does not freeze, as a result of which the Murmansk coast is accessible for ships in winter.

The summer ice boundary usually runs along the line Spitsbergen - the northern tip of Novaya Zemlya, but in different years this line either moves north or, conversely, goes further south.

Ichthyofauna. Industrial fishing.

In 1921, a participant in the Northern Scientific Fishing Expedition E.K. Suvorov, during trawl operations in the Barents Sea, first noted the warming of the Barents Sea. It affected the distribution of ice and the area of ​​ice cover. According to N.N. Zubov, the area of ​​ice cover decreased in 1921 -1931. by 20% compared to 1901 -1906. Warming has also affected the distribution aquatic organisms. Cod began to appear off the coast of Novaya Zemlya. For the first time, significant concentrations of commercial-sized cod were discovered by V.K. Soldatov in 1921 at 69°31′ north latitude and 57°21° east longitude, that is, far to the east, where this fish had not been discovered by anyone before. Cod was even recorded in the Kara Sea. Mackerel gar (Scomberesox saurus) is a southern fish. Previously, this fish did not come east of the North Cape, but in 1937 it was discovered off the coast of Novaya Zemlya. In eastern Murman, a previously unknown perciform fish (Brama rayi) was recently discovered.

In terms of diversity of animal population, the Barents Sea is the richest in the European part of Russia. It contains about 2,500 species, not counting the protozoa. There are 113 species of fish here. The entire animal population of the Barents Sea is divided into three zoogeographic groups: arctic, boreal or boreal-arctic and warm-water. The Arctic group, living at temperatures no higher than 2-3°C, includes some mollusks, in particular Joldia arctica, many echinoderms and about 20 species of cod fish, navaga, polar flounder, some eelpouts, etc.

The boreal-Arctic group, associated with warm currents, includes some mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans and most commercial fish - cod, haddock, pollock, herring, sea bass, sea flounder, etc.

The warm-water group includes mackerel (mackerel), whiting (Odontogadus merlangus), and Argentina silus.

By biological productivity The Barents Sea is the most productive sea in the Arctic Basin. In this regard, a huge number of fish from the North Atlantic Ocean come here to feed in the summer.

The richest areas were near the Medvezheostrovskaya Bank, in the zone between the 35th and 40th meridians, the Kanin Nos area and the area to the west and south of Novaya Zemlya. These areas coincide with the polar front lines. The unproductive areas are the northern, northeastern and western.

Of the 113 species of fish living in the Barents Sea, 97 are marine, 13 are anadromous and 3 are mixed (living in both fresh and sea water). Among marine fish, approximately half are boreal-arctic, and about 20 species are arctic. The remaining marine fish species are accidental newcomers from temperate and even tropical seas. Over 40% of all fish species are found only in the western part of the sea. As you move east, the number of fish species decreases noticeably and in the eastern part it is approximately 50% of the total number for the Barents Sea.

Particularly abundant in the Barents Sea are cod (12 species), flounder (11 species), eelpout (13 species), and gobies (Cottidae) (10 species). Salmonids in the Barents Sea basin are represented by eight species.

About 20 species of fish are used commercially, and even then not to the full extent. These types include the following:

1. Cod (Gadus morhua).

2. Murmansk herring (Clupea harengus).

3. Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus).

4. Groupers: golden (Sebastes marinus), beaked (Sebastes mentella), small (Sebastes viviparus).

5. Pollock (Pollachius virens).

6. Capelin (Mallotus villosus).

7. Catfish: spotted Anarhichas minor, striped Anarhichas lupus, blue An. latifrons.

8. Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida).

9. Navaga (Eleginus navaga).

10. Salmon (Salmo salar).

11. Char (Salvelinus alpinus).

12. Flounder: sea flounder (Pleuronectes platessa), ruffed flounder (Limanda limanda), river flounder (Pleuronectes flesus septentrionalis), ruff flounder (Hippoglossoides platessoides).

13. Halibuts: white (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) and black (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides).

14. Czech-Pechora herring (Clupea harengus pallasi suworowi).

15. Gerbil (Ammodytis hexapterus marinus).

16. Sharks: polar (Somniosus microcephalus), spiny shark (Squalus acanthias).

17. Star stingray (Raja radiata).

The main commercial fish of the Barents Sea: cod, herring, haddock, sea bass.

Summer holidays are getting closer and closer in 2018. Russians enjoy spending this long-awaited time not only in the south of the country. Amateur fishermen appreciate any opportunity to go out into nature, where they immerse themselves in the familiar and exciting process of fishing.

A great opportunity to turn your wildest fishing fantasies into a real rich catch is summer fishing in the Barents Sea. It will require from each participant who gets to the northern outskirts of the country (“savage” or “organized” tourist) courage, foresight, good physical fitness and careful preparation of equipment.

Features of national fishing in northern latitudes

Many come to Kola Peninsula not only for a wonderful catch, but also for the unique emotions that sea fishing gives. Local inhabitants of the depths were forced to adapt to the harsh climate, so they are much more active, powerful and larger than their river counterparts. Fishing in the Barents Sea is of 2 types:

1. In the numerous bays with which the complex coastline, free fish can be caught from the shore, from a boat, near the piers. There is one problem - you can only get to open water on the Sredny Peninsula, near the villages of Rybachy, Dalnie Zelentsy, Teriberka, and Ura-Guba.
2. Actually sea (paid) fishing, where from the yacht you can only see the endless expanse, seals, whales and birds, since you have to move away from the shore at a distance of 5-10 km. It is recommended to rent a ship (for a day with an overnight stay, without going ashore, for 45,000 rubles) or buy a 3-day comprehensive tour for 66,000 rubles (with catch processing on the ship, excursions, insurance, meals, paperwork).

Fauna of the Barents (Russian) Sea

• Shark (polar and spiny);
• Char;
• Catfish (three subspecies);
• Flounder;
• Capelin;
• Sea bass;
• Minek;
• Navaga;
• Gerbil;
• Haddock;
• Halibut (two subspecies);
• Saida;
• Herring (two subspecies);
• Saika;
• Salmon;
• Stingray;
• Cod.

What gear, bait, lures, groundbaits are used

For a sea adventure, you need to stock up on a large fishing assortment, which consists of several items. Tackle. A fishing rod up to 2m long, with a test weight of 500-700g, a baitcasting reel with a diameter of 0.4-0.8mm and a 200-meter nylon or dacron fishing line, multi-core cords, a cord with a lead core, marine echo sounders, extractors, landing nets, hooks, loops - grips, cages, depth gauges, lights for night fishing.

The bait is:

• Marine polychaete worms, dung worms;
• Crabs and their meat;
• Shrimps;
• Squid;
• Mussels;
• Live bait;
• Fish pieces;
• Spleen of birds and animals.

Groundbait is prepared from crushed fish, which is placed in a feeder and lowered into the water below the waterline (this method is only effective in places with a good current). They mostly consist of chopped mackerel, herring, sardines and other fish that are thrown overboard to attract sharks and tuna. Perforated canned food for domestic animals is widely used for catching flounder and cod.

Artificial bait (jig heads, twisters, vibrating tails, spinners) should be similar to real food. (Silicone baits treated with attractants will be a good help). It is important not to miss the moment to hook and land the fish before it spits out the bait. However, this standard rule of classical fishing is applicable everywhere and always.

Video of summer fishing in the Barents Sea: