Breeding kingfish is up next

Nornickel’s Arctic biodiversity conservation program will help maintain the char population and breed it for sale.

The Arctic biodiversity conservation program is a large-scale study of biodiversity in three regions of Russia where Nornickel operates. The project was launched in 2022, and aims to identify the areas affected by the company’s operations and to assess the health of the local ecosystems. The ongoing study is conducted by the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The Arctic zone is home to unique animal and fish species. For example, the Putorana char, which scientists discovered in Lake Sobachye in the Krasnoyarsk region in 2018, contains a record amount of Omega-3 fatty acids – 3.28 grams per 100 grams, according to Mikhail Gladyshev, Associate Fellow of the Russian Academy of Sciences and scientific lead of the project “Monitoring and Artificial Breeding of the Salvenius Char Found in Lake Sobachye”.

Breeding and selling this valuable fish will help provide the country’s population with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. The acids support our heart health and nervous system, have an overall protective effect on the body, reduce the risk of many diseases, and are good for our skin.

Today, a vitamin pack with a high concentration of Omega-3 acids can cost as much as 20,000 rubles.

Omega-3 content in 20–30 g of char is equivalent to 12 kg of tilapia

Industrial fishing of char is prohibited. The fish breeds very slowly in a natural environment.

MIKHAIL GLADYSHEV
Associate Fellow of the Russian Academy of Sciences

“Evolution is still happening in the pristine lakes of Taymyr. Valuable fish species that appear are rare and scarce. Besides, even though Arctic nature is rich, biomass is a limited resource. Due to harsh conditions, the algae that fish feed on grow very slowly.

The fish we see today have been evolving in the lake for 200–300 years. If you throw a net and catch all of it, there will be no fish next year."

Scientists and specialists study the evolution of the char to understand the reasons for its record Omega-3 levels and develop methods to artificially breed it for commercial sale.

The project participants include the Institute of Biophysics of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as the Siberian and Krasnoyarsk Agricultural Universities. The project will help improve people’s diets and support the conservation of Arctic biodiversity.

Nornickel funds research into Arctic biodiversity, including the program “Monitoring and Artificial Breeding of the Salvenius Char Found in Lake Sobachye”. Researchers will investigate the reasons behind the high Omega-3 content in the fish and create a breeder stock to enable industrial-scale production of this valuable fish.

Professor Mikhail Gladyshev, a Doctor of Biology, Associate Fellow of the Russian Academy of Sciences, stressed that “Nornickel’s interests extend beyond immediate benefits and focus on the sustainable management of natural resources. This approach calls for fundamental knowledge and advanced scientific research.”

ILYA BEREZNYUK
Managing Partner at Agro and Food Communications

“Costly research, infrastructure, a team of geneticists and biologists are required to breed a fish species that has not been previously grown on a large scale in aquaculture. Progress in science and technology, and investor interest, make it theoretically possible to complete such a project within 5–10 years. We should bear in mind, though, that not all fish species can be bred in aquaculture.”

The full version of the interview with Mikhail Gladyshev is available on Nornickel’s youtube channel.

August, 2023

2023-08-16 12:16 Environment Russia Biodiversity