STG Releases Sturgeon and Bream Fry into the Kuban River and the Don River

JSC Stroytransgaz released 69,000 Russian sturgeon fry into the Kuban River and 2.1 mln bream fry into the Don River. Thus, the company completed its environmental obligation provided for by the design documentation associated with the construction of Rostovskaya-Andreevskaya-Vyshestebliyevskaya (Taman) 500kV high-voltage line performed within the framework of the Federal Special-Purpose Programme on Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. Federal State Budgetary Organization Russian Energy Agency (REA) of the Energy Ministry of the Russian Federation acts as the Customer of the Project.

Before their release into the Kuban River (river feeding the Sea of Azov) the fry was cultivated in order to increase the survival rate. The Russian sturgeon fry was cultivated at the fish hatchery of the Kuban Institute of Sturgeon Breeding LLC until it reached the average weight of 23.8 grams. The fish was delivered to the banks of the river in special purpose “live machines”, i.e. water tanks aerated with small bubbles supplied by the air compressor and kept at the temperature that is ideal for the fish. The bream fry was cultivated by Kuleshovskoe Fish Farm, JSC up to the average weight of 0.3–0.6 grams in a pond connected to the Don River by a dedicated canal. The canal was blocked by a dam featuring gate valves. Upon the appointed day, the gate valves were opened and the fry was released into the river.  

The stocking was monitored by the Azov-Black Sea Regional Department of the Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo) and the Department of Fishery Industry Development of the Ministry of Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Krasnodar Region.