From the results of 2012 expeditions to the implementation of 2013 plans
The results of the summer and autumn expeditions along the Mezen and its tributaries organized within the frameworks of the “Model river Mezen” project were presented at another meeting of the project Working group conducted on October 18th.
The results and conclusions of the summer overview expedition conducted in 2012 down the Mezen – from the mouth of the river Pyis to the Mezen bay – were introduced to the Working group members by Yury Pautov, leader of this expedition. It’s already the third overview expedition carried out within the frameworks of the project and jointly organized by the project partners – Silver Taiga Foundation, Federal State Institution “Komirybvod”, Institute of Biology of the Komi Scientific Center, Ural branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and local community “Udorachi”. During this expedition the residual part of the Mezen including some of its tributaries was passed through and now the project participants can build a complete picture of the current condition of the river, its resources, and life on its banks. Based on this picture, the monitoring data, and the results of the meetings with the local population, project plans both for the nearest years and long-term perspective will be adjusted.
At the beginning of October this year project members simultaneously conducted several expeditions aimed at counting of the salmon nests on the spawning streams – in the upper reaches of the Mezen, along the Lower Puzla, Upper Puzla, Yolva, and Pyis. Ecologist of the Silver Taiga Foundation Nikolay Shuktomov introduced the observations and findings of the participants of these expeditions to the Working group members. Last year similar counting of the salmon nests was also organized within the frameworks of the project. Next year the monitoring will be continued.
All these field works are required for identification of the main reasons of the salmon population degradation, determination of the sore spots and development of a program for salmon population restoration on the Mezen jointly with the Arkhangelsk region based on the above mentioned findings.
Besides, members of the Working group considered some other issues at this meeting. In particular, they discussed the problems and perspectives of the development of the Glotovo branch of “AgroUdora” cooperative, agreed upon the main directions of the project activity for the next year, established four small taskforce groups on implementation of these directions, i.e. development of proposals for the interregional state program on salmon conservation, traditional use of fish resources, development of sustainable fish resources management (support of the cooperative on the Yirva), and development of the sustainable recreational use of river resources.
Translated by Irina Sokolova