Results of salmon fishery in 2024 are briefly presented for the Far East of Russia, Arctic, Japan, and northwestern North America.

Pacific salmon fishery in the Sakhalin-Kuril region in 2024 is considered. Data on the forecasted and actual annual catch are presented, by areas and species. The catch of pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha amounted to 33589 t (63.3 % of the forecasted value), including 1456 t produced by pasture aquaculture. A total of 10.622∙106 ind. of matured pink salmon run into the rivers, including 1.302∙106 ind. for northwestern Sakhalin, 0.506∙106 ind. for southwestern Sakhalin, 8.614∙106 ind. for eastern Sakhalin, and 0.2∙106 ind. for Iturup Island. The spawning run of pink salmon in 2024 in the East Sakhalin fishing subzone and on Iturup Island was distinguished by predominance of the early temporal group that spawned in the upper reaches of rivers. By the data of walking surveys, some rivers in southeastern       Sakhalin, in the Aniva Bay, and in the northwestern, northern, and southern parts of northeastern Sakhalin were maximally filled by spawners of pink salmon. The catch of chum salmon O. keta was estimated in 19.367 t that was only 55.0 % of the forecasted value (35.234 t). However, the fishery statistics for this species revealed a disproportion: this value, represented by catch of artificially reproduced chum salmon (shown in the industrial statistics), was clearly underestimated, whereas the removal of pastured chum salmon (shown separately as agricultural products) was exaggerated to unrealistic value of 20591 t due to inclusion of a part of the fish released at juvenile stage for pasturing. Actually the catch of artificial chum salmon was in 14207 t higher and amounted to 33574 t, or 95.3 % of the forecasted value. The catch of sockeye salmon O. nerka amounted to 1357 t (96.3 % of the forecasted 1412 t), the catch of coho salmon O. kisutch was 711.7 t (166.3 % of the forecasted 428 t), and the catch of masu salmon O. masou was 12 t (15.4 % of the forecasted 78 t). According to official fishery statistics, the total annual landing of pacific salmon in the Sakhalin-Kuril region in 2024 amounted to 53581 t, the forecasted value was utilized in 59.4 %. However, taking into account the abovementioned details of accounting for chum and pink salmon, the actual catch was in 15663 t higher and reached 69244 t, i.e. the forecasted value was utilized in 76.7 %. This feature of fishery statistics in Sakhalin distorted the value of the total catch of pacific salmon in the Russian Far East in 2024 that actually was not 235.103 t but exceeded 250 .103 t. In 2024, production of the pastured chum salmon for the first time reached a significant value of 6384 t, including 3871 t within the East Sakhalin fishing subzone and 1992 t in the southern Kuril Islands.

The catch of pacific salmon in the water bodies of the Khabarovsk Territory in 2024 was initially forecasted in 51.7∙10³ t. During the fishing season, one adjustment was made for pink salmon in the Primorye fishing subzone where the allowable annual catch was increased in 2000 t. In total, 9 stocks were exploited but the bulk of the catch (> 85 %) was provided by 4 stock units: i) pink salmon in the North Okhotsk Sea fishing subzone, ii) chum salmon in the same subzone, iii) autumn chum salmon in the Amur River, and iv) pink salmon in the Primorye fishing sub-zone. The actual catch amounted to 39.9∙10³ t, the average utilization of the allowed value was 77.1 % that can be considered as a satisfactory result.

Results of the salmon fishery in the main fishing areas of the Magadan Region in 2024 are summarized. Data on the forecasted and actual abundance and catch of pacific salmon and char and on the salmon escapement to the spawning grounds are presented. The current state of salmon stocks is assessed.

The key stage of juvenile pink salmon monitoring is the survey of their fall feeding in the sea that detects the year-class strength. The results of this survey are used for forecasting of the pink salmon returns to the Karaginsky fishing subzone in Bering Sea and to the Okhotsk Sea and the landing in the next year. The trawl surveys with two research vessels have conducted in recent years that allows to cover vast areas in a short time and to exclude repeated counts of the same fish on neighbor transects. In 2024, such trawl survey for pink salmon counting was conducted in the western Bering Sea and Okhotsk Sea that provided representative data on the juveniles abundance used for forecasting their returns and catches in the Karaginsky fishing subzone and Okhotsk Sea. The abundance of pink salmon in the western Bering Sea was estimated in 452∙10⁶ ind. that was about a half of their numbers in previous even years (2018, 2020, 2022). Their return to the Karaginsky fishing subzone in the next year is expected as 72∙10⁶ ind. at the lower limit of confidence interval, that provides the catch of 49∙103 t with the expected weight of spawners about 1 kg and 32 % escapement to the spawning grounds. In the Okhotsk Sea, the abundance of pink salmon was estimated in 1077∙10⁶ ind. that was lower than in 2020 and 2022. Their expected return to the Okhotsk Sea in the next year is expected as 123∙10⁶ ind. at the lower limit of confidence interval, that provides the catch of 100∙103 t with the weight of 1.3 kg and escapement of 35 %. Abundance in «northern» and «southern» regional complexes of local stocks is estimated for pink salmon in the Okhotsk Sea using cluster analysis with the expectation-maximization algorithm (EM clustering); the «northern» group prevailed with the ratio 64:36 %.

Assessment of the pacific salmon run to the Amgun River in 2022–2024 by acoustic method is presented. The NetCor-3 software and hardware complex was used. A technique for sonar registration of fish was developed and tested in conditions of the Amur River basin. Optimal technical parameters of the equipment for the fish counting at the registration site were determined

Spawners of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta were examined in the basins of Prostor and Kurilsky Bays (Iturup Island, Kuril Islands) from September 23 to November 2, 2024. The portion of females naturally increased during the spawning run and was 43.3 %, on average. The fish aged 3+ clearly dominated, their portion was on average 83.7 % in the Prostor Bay and 90.9 % in the Kurilsky Bay, however, the portion of fish with age 2+ increased during the run. The females and males aged 3+ weighted 2.28 and 2.44 kg, on average, respectively, that was less than the weight of chum salmon spawners in this area over the previous 10 years.

Reproduction of pacific salmon in the Amur River basin was monitored during 8 years using standard methods of fisheries science. The data indicate weak reproduction of pink salmon and the summer and fall chum salmon. Distribution density of the fall chum salmon spawners on their spawning grounds was about 1 ind. per 100 m², on average, and never exceeded 10 ind./100 m².

Hydrological regime was explored in the lower reaches of two spawning rivers located on the western (Okhotsk Sea) coast of Paramushir Island: the Shumnaya and Kohmayuri. Water quality was examined by BLE-C600 multifunctional tester, dissolved oxygen content was measured by JPB-70A portable oximeter, and samples of bottom soil were collected on the spawning grounds closest to the river mouths. Granulometric analysis of the samples was conducted in laboratory, with the size fractions separation by dry method, using the sieves KP-131. The water parameters and fractional composition of soil correspond to conditions suitable for reproduction of pink and sockeye salmon in both rivers. Entries of pacific salmon were observed during the hydrological surveys on August 3, 2022 and July 25, 2024; active run of sockeye salmon occurred in both dates, which prevailed over pink salmon spawners.