Published on: 2026-07-10
Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Scientists have completed studies of the ichthyofauna at the mouth of the Yenisei River. The expedition was conducted with the support of Rosneft as part of the corporate program “Tamura.” The studies were the final phase in the cycle of fieldwork for the environmental program.
The “Tamura” project was launched in 2024 and is planned until 2027. Scientists are studying the Kara subpopulation of polar bears, wild reindeer, as well as valuable species of birds and fish in western Taimyr. The obtained data will help update information about the status of key animal species of the Far North.
The main goal of the new expedition was to study the current state of the ichthyofauna in the estuarine region of the Yenisei River and its food base during the summer period.
Leading scientists from the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University Marine Research Center, the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Company’s Arctic Scientific Center participated in the expedition. They conducted a biological survey of the most common and valuable fish species of the Yenisei, including muksun, sig-pyzhyan, and Arctic omul.
The first point of the expedition was the most remote net-setting station in the area of the Tanalau River. Then the research vessel moved upstream along the Yenisei and completed the route in Dudinka. In total, the scientists conducted work at 6 net-setting stations, and the expedition route covered over 500 km. The work was carried out not only on the main riverbed but also in the areas of its large channels – Ushakova and Tolstaya Zemlya, as well as tributaries, including Bolshaya Kheta, Tanalau, and Muksunikha.
For each species, the main size-weight indicators were determined, as well as the dietary characteristics. These data will allow assessing the condition of the fish during feeding migrations and their habitat conditions, as well as significantly supplement the results obtained during the 2025 studies.
Additionally, the scientific team attended the “Fisherman’s Day” celebration in the village of Nosok on the bank of the Ushakov channel. The ichthyologist scientists conducted a full biological analysis of the fish caught as part of the “Taimyr Fishermen” contest, and also surveyed local residents to obtain information about their catches – the number of fish, species diversity, and catch dynamics over the past several years.
After the completion of the field stage, the collected materials, including scales and fins, will be sent for office processing to specialized laboratories. As the fish grow, annual zones form on the scales and fins, which can be used to determine the age of the individuals and reconstruct the characteristics of their individual growth. Molecular-genetic studies of water samples will be conducted to assess the species composition of the fish.
The first phase of research on valuable fish species of the Yenisei River in 2025 included a comprehensive set of studies, including an assessment of the population status of the most valuable fish species, as well as the ecological conditions of their habitats, but during the autumn period. Scientists covered more than 600 km of the Yenisei estuary, including its most important and large tributaries – the Bolshaya Kheta, Pelyatka, Dudinka, Talalau, and Muksunikha rivers. Biological analysis of fish was conducted in the ship laboratory. The selection of research sites was based on an analysis of ichthyological and hydrobiological scientific works from the past 90 years.
Rosneft pays special attention to biodiversity conservation and implements the largest comprehensive program for studying the Arctic region since Soviet times. Since 2012, a total of 65 expeditions have been conducted, during which scientists have studied the hydrometeorological, geological, and biological characteristics of the region. This has made it possible to collect a unique array of information about the climate features, nature, and wildlife of the Arctic.
Department of Information and Advertising
PJSC “NK Rosneft”
July 10, 2026
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