In the laboratory of hydrobiology of LLP «Fisheries Research and Production Center» on the basis of the patent (authors Zh. O. Mazhibaeva, head of the hydrobiology laboratory and A.I. Kim, head of the complex laboratory of the West Kazakhstan branch) a working model of an improved hydrobiological bimetral for catching bottom and benthic organisms was produced. Manufacturing of the net for the new (modified) hydrobiological collecting tool was carried out by senior researcher L.A. Kovalyova.

Tests of beamtral in shallow and deep-water zone of Kapshagai reservoir, conducted on 26 July by the staff of laboratories of hydrobiology (Mazhibaeva J.O. and Kovaleva L.A.) and ichthyologists of Kapshagai expeditionary group, showed that the device allows to catch both non-benthic invertebrates and juvenile fish.

Reduced dimensions of the model (as compared to the traditional version of the beamtral trawl) allow to use the beamtral in shallow waters for hand trawling, which provides an opportunity to take into account the development of bocoplaves confined to coastal areas of water bodies.

During the period from May to July 2023, 2 species of spiny sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris), a rare and valuable species of fish of the sturgeon family, were caught on the right bank of the Kapshagai reservoir (96 km along the ship’s route).

The specimens weighing 7,950 and 800 grams were caught on the basis of the Permit for fishing for scientific purposes of the Committee of Fishery of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan № KZ24VEP00146656 from 04.04.2023.

After a set of measures on adaptation to artificial conditions species were transported to the fish breeding site of the Balkhash branch of the Centre for domestication and further formation of the breeding stock.

To present day, anthropogenic and other factors have led to the disappearance of the spiny sturgeon from the Aral-Syrdarya basin and sharply limited its numbers in the Balkash-Alakol basin, where it is an acclimatiser. Therefore, in 2002 the spiny sturgeon was listed in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Artificial reproduction of the spiny sturgeon may become a real opportunity to preserve biodiversity and increase the stocks of the spiny sturgeon in the reservoirs of the Balkash-Alakol basin, as well as provide an opportunity to start work on restoring the stocks of this species in the Aral-Syrdarya basin.

Works on artificial reproduction of the spike are carried out within the framework of the budget programme 267-101-154 ” Program-targeted financing of scientific researches and activities”.

According to the Rules of awarding academic titles (associate professor (docent), professor), approved by the order of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated 31 March 2011 № 128, registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan on 10 May 2011 № 6939, posting a statement, a list of scientific papers, a list of publications in international peer-reviewed publications of the Deputy General Director of LLP «Fisheries Research and Production Center», Doctor of Biological Sciences Asylbekova Saule Zhangirovna for the award of the academic title – Professor on speciality 40100 – Agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Today General Director K.B. Isbekov congratulated employees of the Scientific and Production Centre of Fishery LLP with the forthcoming professional holiday ‘Fishery Workers Day’ and awarded medals, certificates of honour and letters of thanks from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of RK and the Fishery Committee.

For information: The Fisheries Workers Day is celebrated every second Sunday of July in Kazakhstan.

‘Fishery Workers Day’  was first celebrated in the USSR in 1964 in Murmansk, where fishing is the leading industry. After that, a proposal was sent from the region to celebrate the holiday throughout the country. Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR accepted the proposal and on May 3, 1965 there was a decree on the establishment of the holiday. It was decided to celebrate it on the second Sunday of July for a reason. By that time the spawning ban on fishing was lifted, the weather stabilized, and all the fishermen flocked to the waters. In 1965 the status of professional holiday ‘Fishery Workers Day’ was given only in Ukraine and Russia, while in other republics, including Kazakhstan, it was celebrated without approval.

It received the status of an official professional holiday in Kazakhstan in 2017 (in accordance with Article 4 of the Law “On Holidays in the Republic of Kazakhstan”). In the list of professional holidays it is listed as Fishermen’s Day.

The head unit of the Scientific and Production Centre of Fishery LLP heartily congratulates the Balkhash branch with the significant anniversary date – the 90th anniversary of its establishment!

We wish the staff of the Balkhash branch prosperity, new scientific achievements and sucsessful work for the benefit of the fishery science of the Republic of Kazakhstan!

For information: In 1933 a branch of the scientific fishery station of the All-Union Fishery Research Institute and Oceanography (UFRIO) was opened in Balkhash. And in 1934 it became an independent research station of UFRIO. In 1938, this station was transferred from the UFRIO system to the Union Research Institute of Lake and River Fisheries (URILRF) and transformed into its department.

In 1957, the Balkhash department was transferred from URILRF to the Institute of Zoology of the Kazakh SSR Academy of Sciences (Order URILRF No. 92 of 29.08.1957, Order of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR No. 749 of 22.10.1957, Orders No 474 and 481 of the Kazakh SSR Academy of Sciences of 10.11.1957, Order No 149 of the Institute of Zoology of 14.11.1957).

In 1963, according to the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No 523 of 02.07.1962 and on the basis of the Decree of the Council of Ministers of KazSSR No 619 of 29.04.1963, the Institute of Ichthyology and Fishery of the Academy of Sciences of the KazSSR was transferred to the State Committee for Fishery of the USSR (Transfer Act of 15.12.1962) and transformed into Kazakh Research Institute of Fishery (KazRIFF). In the same year by the order of State Committee of fishery ¹150 from 02.04.1963 the Institute was relocated from Guriev to Balkhash city. Further, in connection with transformation of State Committee for Fishery at Council of Ministers of the USSR into Ministry of Fishery of the USSR, the Institute was subordinated to this Ministry.

In 1976 on the basis of the Order of the Ministry of Fishery of the USSR from 17.02.1976 №98 LLP «Fisheries Research and Production Center» was transferred to the Ministry of Fishery of the Kazakh SSR. The Institute remained in this status until transfer of its head unit in 1987 and since 1987 up to the present time operates as Balkhash branch of the Institute located in Balkhash city.  

In the Balkhash branch of LLP «Fisheries Research and Production Center», during 03.07.2023 – 06.07.2023 period, a seminar on the accreditation of the testing center is held. Head of the Testing Center of LLP «Fisheries Research and Production Center» Aitkalieva A.A., familiarized with the requirements of standarts ISO/IEC 17025-2019 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”. Within the framework of the seminar, the laboratory equipment is checked, the documents of the management system are in compliance, and internal audit is being prepared. The seminar is attended by, Head of the hydroanalytics laboratory Dolgopolova S.Y., researcher of the Atyrau branch Samatova A.S.  and employees of the Balkhash branch.

From June 19 to 25, a scientific workshop was held at SPK Khamit’s aquaculture training centre, FISH SCHOOL, for entrepreneurs and fish farmers on the subject of “Technologies for farming and processing valuable fish species”.

Within the framework of Memorandum of Cooperation, signed between agricultural production cooperative “Khamit” and “Scientific Production Center of Fishery” LLP seminar was conducted by scientific officer of aquaculture laboratory of “Scientific Production Center of Fishery” LLP Umirtayeva A.U.

In the course of seminar listeners got acquainted with traditional technologies of cultivation of valuable species of fish in conditions of fish farms of Kazakhstan, with innovative technologies of cultivation of perspective objects of aquaculture, and also with measures of state support for development of small and average business in fish industry of Kazakhstan. 

Training on preparation of business plans was conducted. Practical training took place on pond farm “Khamit” agricultural production cooperative, cage farm “Vita” LLP, in lake-commodity fish farm “Sultan”, on basin farm IP “Baiterek” and on fish-processing plant agricultural production cooperative “Khamit”.

Due to the agreement of LLP “Fisheries Research and Production Center” with LLP “Research and Production Center of Microbiology and Virology” on the basis of project “Development of a domestic probiotic drug cuzing increase the resistance and productivity of valuable fish species in aquaculture” on the basis of LLP “Kapchagai spawning farm-1973”, studies are continuing to assess the effectiveness of the effect of the developed domestic probiotic drug on fish-biological indicators of trout. The final catch was carried out and measurements were taken from trout grown in the pools by scientific staff of the aquaculture laboratory of LLP “Fisheries Research and Production Center” Badryzlova N.S., Barakov R.T. and Khalelov A.T. in LLP “Kapchagai spawning farm-1973”.

During the implementation of the Targeted funding program project “Development and implementation of industrial technologies for growing promising fish farming facilities and invertebrate hydrobionts in conditions of fish farming enterprises”, another control catch of jade perch grown in Yeisk-type trays using pond water was carried out at the fish breeding site in LLP “Kapchagai spawning farm-1973”.

The Targeted funding program – natural resources  (2021-2023) work is on progress. In the areas of “Bumps” and “Small Dam” of the Zhaiyk River, the analysis of the sturgeon juvenile sturgeon is carried out to further determine the effectiveness of natural reproduction of sturgeon.

Every day (from June 1 to July 1 this year), scientists of the Atyrau branch, G.G. Zhunusova and N.N. Batyrbek conduct trawling to catch juvenile sturgeon. They have been recorded in small numbers of stingrays of sterlet larvae and young sevryuga.

Considering that the stocking of artificial young sturgeon fish from the Atyrau sturgeon hatchery has not yet been carried out, we assume that the caught juveniles are “wild”, i.e. the offspring of sturgeon from natural reproduction