For the first time, Nornickel has released large Siberian sturgeon juveniles near the Arctic port of Dudinka, in the lower reaches of the Yenisei River. By 2034, the company plans to release more than 20 million sturgeon juveniles into the local water system to help sustain the population of the endangered species.
Released into rivers under biodiversity-support programmes, sturgeon juveniles usually weigh only one gram. Larger juveniles have never previously been released in the Arctic. This time, Nornickel's environmental specialists took on a different approach: the survival rate of larger fish is nearly 15 times higher. Weighing 10-11 grams, these juveniles have sufficient nutrient reserves to overwinter and, thanks to their sharp bony scutes, face virtually no natural predators. Over several releases, Nornickel introduced 50,000 large juveniles into the Yenisei near Dudinka. Given their higher survival rate, this is equivalent to releasing more than 850,000 one-gram juveniles.
The fish were raised from roe sourced from the Yenisei population at recirculating aquaculture facilities in Yaroslavl Region, under the supervision of scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute for Biology of Inland Waters. To reach Dudinka, the juveniles travelled thousands of kilometres by road and air. They were transported in insulated containers under carefully controlled temperature conditions. In Dudinka, the sturgeon adapted in holding tanks before being released into the Yenisei. The fish were released in the middle of the river so they could disperse evenly across the current and water depth, while avoiding predatory birds along the shoreline.
The next stage will involve releasing juveniles into the Norilo-Pyasina water system after 2035, once the ecosystem has become sufficiently balanced and has an adequate food base. Large-scale research in preparation for this work is being conducted by the country's leading fisheries research institution, the Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO). In cooperation with the institute, work has also begun to study genetic polymorphism in sturgeon species in order to prevent population degeneration.
Vladimir Voronkov, Head of Water Ecosystem Conservation Projects at Nornickel, commented:
«Protecting Arctic biodiversity requires more than simply releasing juvenile fish. We must create conditions in which they can survive and reproduce. That is why we rely on a science-based approach and release more mature juveniles - this is how we will see tangible results from our work. It reflects our genuine commitment to the future of the Yenisei and the northern environment as a whole.»
Artificial breeding and fish stocking help preserve fish populations in Taimyr, one of Nornickel's key regions of operation. The company continues its systematic work to restore the Arctic's biological resources, combining scientific expertise, modern technology and care for the fragile northern environment.