Assessment the state of the omul stock Coregonus migratorius in the waters of Northen Baikal according to hydroacoustic investigations

Abstract

Recently in Lake Baikal there was observed decrease in population of the most abundant species among commercial fish – Baikal omul (Coregonus migratorius). That is why restrictive measures have been imposed on its catches. A hydroacoustic method based on hydroacoustic surveys was used to assess the evolution of the Omul population during the period of restrictive measures in one of the most productive fishery areas – the Northen Baikal. This work represented the results of three-year hydroacoustic research (2021, 2022 and 2023) in the first decade of June. Taking into account the confidence intervals for estimating the number and biomass of Omul, the stock in Northen Baikal is quite stable. The omul spatial distribution on the investigated areas is also stable.