Hydroacoustic assessment of Baikal omul (Coregonus migratorius) reserves based on the results of two-year studies in the springsummer period of 2021 and 2022

Taking into account the depressive condition of the Baikal omul resource, the decree of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation No. 450 dated August 29, 2017 strict restrictions were established on the catch of Baikal omul in order to restore its reserves. Since 2021, a hydroacoustic method based on hydroacoustic surveys has been used to estimate its recovery. In 2021, on the fishing areas of Lake Baikal (Selenga shallow water and Northern Baikal) there were conducted surveys. In 2022, in addition to these areas, the researches were conducted in the Barguzin Bay and the Small Sea. Significant increase in the number of small omul was observed in the Selenginsky shallow water area in 2022. The results of a comparative analysis on Northern Baikal within the water area of 2021 showed that, taking into account confidence intervals, the number of omul and its biomass practically did not change. The averages omul biomass and number per unit area in the Small Sea were significantly lower than in the waters of the Selenginsky shallow water and the Northern Baikal. The lowest average densities were recorded in the Barguzin Bay.

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