Institute of Fisheries and Marine Ecology (IFME)

IFME was founded in Berdyansk in 1975.

Nowadays IFME is the one of leading scientific fishery research institution in Ukraine.

The spectrum of researches of IFME grows constantly, and now it includes such science directions, as:

  • monitoring research and forecasts of water living resources in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Antarctic marine areas;
  • complex fish research of rivers, lakes and storage pools;
  • artificial reproduction of natural fish populations (industrial reproduction, artificial spawning nests, artificial reefs, including multipurpose reefs-biofilters);
  • mathematical modelling for fish stock forecasts;
  • development of fishery legislation;
  • fishbreeding selection;
  • Acipenseriformes species (sturgeons): conservation, alive collections (broodstocks), artificial fishbreeding, genetical identification and pasportization;
  • development of technologies for commercial aquaculture;
  • assessment of impact of economical activities to water ecosystems;
  • scientific support of international affairs of Ukraine in the sphere of fisheries;
  • etc.

IFME is taking part in preparation of scientific materials for international activities of Ukraine in fishery organisation. In particular, IFME is (was) taking part:

  • in regular meeting of CITES, as one of the national scientific bodies (n Acicipenseriformes species - since 2007;
  • in regular meetings, conferences and working groups of the General Commission on Fisheries in Mediterranean (GFCM) - since 2014;
  • in meetings and committees of the Commission on Fisheries and Aquaculture in Central Asia and Caucasus (2011-2014);
  • in meetings of the Consultative Fisheries Group of the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (2015-2016);
  • in regular and specialed sessions and working groups of the Ukrainian-Russian Commission for Fisheries in the Sea of Azov (since 1992, the first years of activities of this intergovernmental organisation);
  • in selected meetings of FAO devoted to fisheries issues;
  • IFME is monitoring the fishery situation in NAFO-area and preparing analytical matherials for this organisation.

During years of scientific activities IFME:

  1. Has realized successfully the complex of acclimatization works for settle to the Sea of Azov the species Liza haematocheilus (haarder); as result it was formed significant commercial stock of haarder in the Sea of Azov. The maximum annual landing of haarder by Ukraine was achieved in 2006-2007 (about 7 000 tons). But changes of ecological conditions together with active fisheries were resulted by decrease of haarder stock. Nowadays the reproduction potential of haarder is existing as before, but the problem of studies of ecology this species in modern conditions is very actual, for manage its resource.
  2. Has realized successfully the complex of works for sea water melioration and restocking of gobies of the Sea of Azov (the group of valuable fish species in the Sea of Azov).
  3. There was founded in IFME the special scientific aquaculture laboratory for Acipenseridae species.
  4. IFME has own genetical laboratory which has the all capacities for species identification concerning Acipenseridae family (for CITES issues). During many years IFME collected the collection of genetical fish materials.
  5. The institute was realized unique research for assess catch coefficients for some fishing gears used for fish assessment, as trawls and seynes.
  6. During many years IFME is carryig out fish assessment expeditions in the basin of the Sea of Azov and in the Black Sea, developing scientific grounds for issuing national catch limits for main exploited bioresource species for the next years.
  7. It is also possible to mention about the leading role of IFME in opening for the Ukrainian fishermens of commercial catch of pike perch (Sander lucioperca (Linnaeus, 1758)) and gobies (Gobiidae family) in the Sea of Azov. IFME worked for preparation of biological ground for prohibition of commercial fish catching of sturgeon fish in the Azov Sea basin. The commercial catch of sturgeons in the Sea of Azov was prohibited in 2000.

The Sea of Azov is very important for conservation and managing of bioresources in the Black Sea. As example, the stock of Azov anchovy - very important for tha Black Sea fishery species - is fully connected with the Sea of Azov.

IFME has own experimental fishbreeding farm with more that 200 ha ponds, cages and experimental recirculation system. There is presented very different salinity in the ponds.

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