The press service of the Kronotsky Reserve reported that the next stage of monitoring the littoral spawning of sockeye salmon in the Kuril Lake on the territory of the South Kamchatka Federal Reserve has been completed. These studies began in 2021.
"Observations of the construction of nests in shallow water were conducted by aerial photography from an unmanned aerial vehicle. This method was developed and tested on the Kuril Lake and has been successfully used for the third year. During this time, scientists have accumulated a lot of experience and an impressive bank of photo and video materials," the report says.
Scientists have found that sockeye salmon arranges littoral spawning grounds in strictly defined areas of the lake. Some of them are confined to the mouths of tributaries, while others are located in some of the bays of the reservoir.
"The current picture of the location of spawning grounds is somewhat different from the information available in the scientific literature. The data that can be found in specialized books and articles are summarized over a long period of observations, while in recent works scientists record the current state and dynamics of littoral spawning," the press service noted.
According to scientists, littoral spawning can serve as an ecological indicator of the well-being of both the sockeye salmon population of the Kuril Lake basin and the Ozernaya River, and the ecosystem as a whole. The main objective of the research is to objectively assess the potential of spawning grounds. These data should become the basis for the organization of monitoring and evaluation of the number of sockeye salmon producers.
In addition, based on the results of observations, a map of littoral spawning grounds of sockeye salmon will be built, the location of which will be taken into account when planning tourist routes. This will eliminate the potential negative impact of motor watercraft on salmon reproduction.
Participants discussed the boundary between nature and ecotourism, whether mass visits to unique areas can remain safe, the responsibilities of investors, and how to prepare tourists for visiting specially protected natural areas.
The head of state expressed confidence that the Forum will be held at a high level, and that its results will contribute to the development of tourism in Russia and the expansion of humanitarian and business ties.
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