Effect of Hydrometeorological Conditions on Dynamics of Catches (Abundance) of the Primorye Pink Salmon Oncorhynchus gorbusha Based on Retrospective Data (Sea of Japan, Strait of Tartary).

The long-term (1980−2018) data on the water temperature regime and associated synoptic processes in favorable and unfavorable years of the abundance formation and the pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha return to the rivers of the Sea of Japan coast in Primorskii krai have been analyzed. It is shown that low catches of Primorye pink salmon at the end of the past century were accompanied by negative temperature anomalies in the coastal waters and increasing catches during the first two decades of the new century were accompanied by positive temperatures anomalies. Pink salmon returns to rivers at the sea-water temperature 8.6−14.9°С, and values below 3.0–4.0°С are one of the reasons of redistribution of anadromous migratory flows of pink salmon in the Primorye subzone. The synoptic and hydrological situation at different intensity of pink salmon return is described using concrete examples. With a high frequency of cold air troughs typical for the first cold stage of the Far Eastern monsoon caused by the Okhotsk anticyclone, the pink salmon return was delayed and extremely high catches were recorded when the second (warm) stage of the summer monsoon strengthened due to spreading of the Hawaiian anticyclone in the Sea of Japan. The results may be used for short-term prediction of the dynamics of the Primorye pink salmon return. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]