8 -9 August, from 10:00 to 17:00 h, with simultaneous translation in Russian and English languages in LLP “Scientific and Production Centre of Fishery of Fishery” (Almaty) is held IV International Webinar on the theme: “The state of the Caspian seal population (Pusa caspica) – present and future”.

Organiser of the webinar: Institution “Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology”, with the support of the Committee of Fishery of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and “Tengizchevroil” LLP, co-organiser “Scientific and Production Centre of Fishery” LLP of the Committee of Fishery of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Moderator of the webinar: Isbekov Kuanysh Baibolatovich, General Director of “Scientific and Production Centre of Fisheries” LLP, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Ass. Professor.

N.T. Zhunusov, Chairman of the Fisheries Committee of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, made a welcoming speech.

Participants of the webinar are representatives of the Caspian countries, representatives of International organisations of Great Britain, USA, University of Leeds, Institute of Water Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Khazar State Nature Reserve, LLP “Kazakhstan Agency of Applied Ecology”, Caspian Institute of Biological Resources of Dagestan Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Republican State Enterprise “Kazgidromet”, Republican State Enterprise “Institute of Microbiology and Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, National Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

According to the webinar programme the following reports are planned:

1. Conducting comprehensive studies of the current state of the Caspian seal population in the Caspian Sea water area;
2. Monitoring of the Caspian seal in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea;
3. Current state of the Caspian seal population off the coast of Azerbaijan in the Caspian Sea in 2021-2023;
4. Monitoring of Caspian seal releases on the coast of Dagestan (December 2022): extent and possible causes;
5. On studies of the age composition of seal releases and possible causes of their deaths;
6. Diagnostic studies of the causes of Caspian seals deaths in autumn 2023;
7. Observation of Caspian seal diseases in Kazakhstan;
8. Brief communication: Information on chipping, tagging and passportisation of Caspian seals in 2023;
9. Quantification of the magnitude of Caspian seal mortality associated with artisanal fisheries and the impact of the commercial chain of Caspian seal products;
10. How will climate change and sea level decline affect the future demography of Caspian seal populations and their habitats?
11. On regression and distribution studies of Caspian seal in the north-eastern part of the Caspian Sea;
12. Multi-year fluctuations in the level of the Caspian Sea;
13. Marine debris and microplastics in the ecosystem of the coast and coastal water area of the Caspian Sea.

Reference: Caspian seal (Pusa caspica) is the only mammal endemic to the Caspian Sea. It is included in the IUCN Red List as an endangered species. It is included in the List of rare and endangered animal species of Kazakhstan (Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 746 dated 9 November 2020). The species has a similar status in other Caspian countries.

3 August 2023 during the research fishing by employees of the laboratory of ichthyology LLP “Scientific and Production Centre of Fisheries” (head of the expedition team Makambetov S.J., senior researcher Ablaisanova G.M., junior researcher Bakkozha J.M.) on the left bank of Kapshagayskogo reservoir in the area of 23 fish plot caught 1 specimen of spike 7.0 kg during the implementation of research on the project PCF “Study of populations of rare and endangered fish species and alien hydrobionts in order to develop recommendations for artificial reproduction of rare species and prevent the spread of alien species of fish and other hydrobionts”. 

Scientific research fishing of spike is carried out according to the issued Permit of the Committee of Fishery of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan from 04.04.2023 (№KZ24VEP00146656) for scientific research. 

  Reference: The spike (Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky, 1828) belongs to the sturgeon family, a rare and valuable fish species. Two populations of the species (Aral and Balkhash populations) are listed in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Kazakhstan in category I as endangered populations. Ship is also listed in the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Wildlife (IUCN 1994) as Critically Endangered (CR): A2cde

Currently, the staff (head of the expedition team Makambetov S.J., senior researcher Ablaisanova G.M., acting researcher Bekturov D.E., junior researcher Bakkozha J.M.) of LLP “FishRPC” in the Ile River and Kapshagai Reservoir are carrying out the following works:  

– Complex research works in Kapshagai reservoir on BP 256 (subprogramme 102):

– sampling of natural reproduction of juvenile fish by fry dragging (rags) in shallow waters, in the coastal zone of Kapshagai reservoir;

– hydrobiological sampling during the growing season (zooplankton, phytoplankton and zoobenthos) and fish feeding during the feeding period;

– hydrochemical sampling and analysis;

– netting for biological analysis of commercial ichthyofauna by fishery areas (biotopes).

Also are carried out research and development on inventory of spawning grounds of spike in the upper reaches of the Ile river on the project of Programme Targeted Financing, works on control trapping in order to determine the catchability and selectivity of traditional (kapron) nets and nets made of monofilament and monofibre.

Chief specialist of the department Kapshagayskoy fish inspection Balkhash-Alakol interregional basin fisheries inspection Samsybaev E. takes part in the work and registration of relevant acts

Within the framework of the project “Development and implementation of technologies for the production of domestic competitive artificial feed and adaptation of technologies for the cultivation of promising live feed for valuable and endemic fish species at fishery enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan” by the laboratory of aquaculture of LLP “FishRPC” on the basis of LLP “Kapchagai spawning farm-1973” works on the introduction of technology of cultivation of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) are carried out.

To obtain larvae of theblack soldier fly the following stages of work were carried out: 1) preparation of insectarium for cultivation, 2) obtaining eggs from adults, 3) planting eggs in small nutrient substrate and obtaining larvae, 4) transplanting 5 mm larvae into large nutrient substrate and intensive feeding of larvae. At this stage of work, intensive feeding of larvae is carried out until the transition to the pupal stage. Wheat bran was used as the main substrate for larvae. Various food wastes are introduced to feed the larvae.

At the next stages of black soldier fly cultivation it is planned to obtain pupae and adult flies.

For information: Black soldier fly larvae have proven themselves as a live feed for various aquaculture facilities. The high nutritional value of larvae is primarily confirmed by a balanced set of amino acids (35-40%), safety in their use and positive effect on the complex of fish-biological indicators. Larvae are used in feeding trout, salmon, carp, tilapia and sturgeon species of fish. At many fish farms, where there is a possibility of cultivation of this object, larvae are more often used in feeding young fish from 5 to 50 g of fish.

From 19 July to date, the expedition team of LLP “FishRPC” including: Sansyzbayev E.T., Otegen S., Igilik R., Abylaykhanov E.T. and Rakhova N.M. has been carrying out research works on the Alakol lake system. 

The expedition team conducts:

– echo-sounding survey of the lake system;

– sampling of natural reproduction of juvenile fish by drags (rags) in shallow waters, in the coastal zone of lake systems;

– hydrobiological sampling and fish feeding during the feeding period;

– selection and analysis of hydrochemical samples to assess the quality of the aquatic environment;

– netting for biological analysis of commercial  ichthyofauna by fishing areas (biotopes);

– analyses of catch per fishing effort according to scientific gear and fishing gear data.

At the same time, control fishing is carried out to determine the catchability and selectivity of kapron (permitted) nets and nets made of synthetic monofilament and monofibre.

Research works are carried out within the framework of budget programmes on programme-target financing (267-101-154) and forecast subjects (256-102-159).

Head specialist of Alakol fish inspection department of Balkhash-Alakol interregional basin fishery inspection Kulenova Sh. takes part in the work and drawing up of relevant acts.

The research is continuing.

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.