Current Trends in the Condition of Bottom Fish Communities from the West Kamchatka Shelf

Based on the data of two summer surveys carried out in 2002, the biomass of bottom fishes of the West Kamchata Shelf was assessed. The obtained results were considered within the series of similar annual assessments conducted since 1996. It was displayed that against the background of some increase in the total biomass of bottom fishes, the biomass of the plaices prevailing there, which had previously been the two dominating species had decreased. As a result of the quantitative variations that occurred, the present community structure differs considerably from that observed over the past twenty years.