Scientific and technical program “Natural Resources” (STP) for 2024-2026 y

Scientific and technical program “Natural Resources” (STP) for 2024-2026.

BR23591095 Comprehensive studies of water bodies for the conservation and sustainable use of aquatic biological resources based on the assessment of their potential and modeling of stock dynamics.

Program developer:

LLP ” Fisheries Research and Production Center”.

Program goal:

Assessment of biological diversity, epizootic state of hydrobiocenoses and their resource potential for the development of recommendations and measures for the protection and sustainable use of aquatic biological resources.

Program objectives:

1) Analysis of biological diversity, molecular genetic identification of alien species and assessment of the resistance of hydrobiocenoses of fishery water bodies to external influences.

2) Ichthyopathological studies of commercial fish species in the main fishery water bodies of Kazakhstan, and the development of comprehensive measures to reduce the risks of mass spread of infectious fish diseases.

3) Ecological and demographic analysis of Caspian seal mortality, study of the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on population dynamics, prospects for conservation and stabilization of the species.

4) Study of biological and consumer characteristics of the export-oriented bioresource – gammarus for the development of recommendations for its effective use in the water bodies of Kazakhstan.

5) Modeling the state of stocks in inland commercial water bodies with the development of a software package and domestic methodological recommendations for accounting for fish numbers and calculating the maximum permissible catch.

Results obtained for 2024:

 An analysis of biodiversity and trends in its dynamics was carried out (creation of species lists, calculation of relevant indices, analysis of species lists of aquatic organisms (phytoplankton, zooplankton, zoobenthos, fish) to assess the sustainability of reservoir cenoses (Aral-Syrdarya, Zhaiyk-Caspian, Balkhash-Alakol, Yertis, Yesil, Nura-Sarysu, Tobyl-Torgay, Shu-Talas basins) based on indices (Shannon, saprobity).

 Hydrobiocenoses of the main fishery reservoirs of Kazakhstan (Zhaiyk-Caspian, Yertis, Yesil, Nura-Sarysu, Balkhash-Alakol, Tobyl-Torgay, Aral-Syrdarya) were studied, as well as parasitic and viral pathogens of fish.

 The Caspian seal population was studied. An assessment of the conditions for the reproduction of the Caspian seal based on an analysis of the temperature regime and ice cover in the Northern Caspian showed that the winter period of 2023-2024 was considered “moderate” and was favorable for the reproduction of the Caspian seal. An assessment was made of the number of seal corpses, possible causes of mortality were determined based on an external examination and the collection and analysis of samples.

The state of ichthyocenoses and environmental factors (hydrological and hydrochemical regimes of reservoirs, the state of the fish food supply, biological analysis of fish) in the reservoirs of the Zhaiyk-Caspian (Kigash River), Balkhash-Alakol (Lake Balkhash, Kapshagay Reservoir), Ertis (Lake Zhaisan), Nura-Sarysus basins (Samarkand Reservoir) were studied. Research work on testing the main methods of accounting for fish numbers (by the area method – Lake Balkhash and Lake Zhaisan, by the Kushnarenko-Lugarev method – Kapshagay Reservoir and Samarkand Reservoir, by the time method – the Kigash River, by the hydroacoustic method – Kapshagay Reservoir) were carried out on different types of commercial water bodies.

Water bodies potentially suitable for organizing commercial fishing of gammarus were surveyed. During the research period, samples were taken for hydrochemical analysis, material on the food supply, material for analyzing the species composition of ichthyofauna, and material was collected to analyze the state of gammarus populations and assess its productivity in the surveyed water bodies.

10 articles were published in the media, 5 seminars were held, 1 recommendation was issued, 1 article was published in a database publication (Web of Science, Scopus).

An interim report for 2024 has been prepared in accordance with GOST 7.32-2017. State registration number 0124РК00942.