Last week, the Kirbinsky open-pit mine (an asset of the Russian Coal company in Khakassia) released 300 thousand grayling fry into the Abakan River. The coal company carries out such events to preserve aquatic biological diversity in the region of its presence.
The fry were released into the Abakan River near the village of Bolshoy Monok in the Beysky District together with employees of the fish farm and specialists from the Yenisei Territorial Administration of the Federal Agency for Fishery.
“The house where I was born and raised is now 200 years old! In my childhood, fishing was available to everyone, but years later I saw that there was a catastrophic shortage of fish in the local reservoirs. So, five years ago, an idea was born to make my small contribution to the restoration of a beautiful and native river for me and to create a fish farming complex, which is actively developing, today its production potential is one million fry per year,” says Igor Borisov, director of the Gambrinus fish farming complex. – Of course, this process is not simple and not fast, but thanks to the Yenisei Territorial Administration of the Federal Agency for Fishery for assistance. They are doing a tremendous job of preserving and restoring aquatic bioresources of the environment. Initially, we bred and released fish free of charge, now we have begun to cooperate with various organizations.
Indeed, the history of this place is interesting and beautiful. This is one of the oldest Russian settlements in the South Siberian region, where 265 years ago the Cossacks settled, began to live here and build a village. The original name of the settlement was “Baikalovo”, after the last name of the first inhabitants of this Cossack outpost. Since 1775, it was renamed the outpost of Manok. Now – the village of Bolshoy Monok. Now 500 people live here, there is a village council, a library, a nine-year school. Agriculture is developed, and now fish farming.
– Our company actively participates in improving the ecological component of the region – annually we monitor air and water, plant greenery, work with scientists – monitor the ornithological diversity of the area. We have been cooperating with the fish farm for the third year already. Here, fry are hatched from eggs in special incubation departments and adapted for release into the natural habitat. When the grown fry reach a weight of at least 0.2 grams and a length of 3-4 cm, they are ready for independent life in large bodies of water. The company has invested more than eight million rubles in stocking, I hope the fry will successfully take root, – comments the chief ecologist of the Kirbinsky open-pit mine Lyubov Pilipenko. Grayling is a fish of the salmon family, its color is considered the most elegant and beautiful among the representatives of the ichthyofauna. In Khakassia, it is prohibited for amateur and commercial fishing, and artificial reproduction helps to preserve the population. Fish farmers obtain eggs from producers caught in the Abakan River, which are then released back. Then the offspring are carefully looked after: they are fed live food, the water in the pools is kept running, and the required temperature is maintained.
Next, when the fish grows to the required size, they are loaded into a special live-fish container with a batch of fry ready for release and sent to the river bank. The release into the river occurs using special hoses at a sufficient distance from the shore. Of course, not all of them will survive in the wild; they will have to undergo a harsh natural selection. However, the fry will consider the place of release their home, and will swim here to spawn.
We will add that the company “Russian Coal” annually carries out measures to replenish aquatic biodiversity not only in Khakassia, but also in other regions of presence.