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«IZVESTIYA IRKUTSKOGO GOSUDARSTVENNOGO UNIVERSITETA». SERIYA «BIOLOGIYA. ECOLOGIYA»
«THE BULLETIN OF IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY». SERIES «BIOLOGY. ECOLOGY»
ISSN 2073-3372 (Print)

List of issues > Series «Biology. Ecology». 2025. Vol 53

Biology of Perch in the Ilim Branch of the Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir (Irkutsk Region, East Siberia)

Author(s)

A. L. Yuriev, A. I. Vokin, D. A. Batranin, V. P. Samusenok, A. N. Matveev

Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, Russian Federation

Abstract
The Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir, the third in the Angara reservoir cascade, was filled between 1974 and 1977 and currently consists of two branches – the Angara and Ilim. The latter is a bay formed by the backwater filling of the valley of the Ilim River, the Angara's largest tributary, and is quite extensive – the backwater's influence extends more than 250 km upstream. Perch is one of the most abundant and ubiquitous fish species in the Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir. The primary research on perch biology in the reservoir was conducted in the early years of its filling; current, brief data are available only for fish from the dam section of the reservoir. Sampling of materials in the upper part of the Ilim branch (256-260 km above the mouth) was carried out in May 2015 and July 2011, 2014, 2016, in the lower part (14-18 km above the mouth) in late May – early June 2017-2018. It is known that the perch population in the Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir is differentiated into two ecological groups: small, slow-growing fish inhabit the shallow coastal zone, while larger, faster-growing fish are more often found in deeper areas. In the first years after the reservoir was filled, catches were dominated by fish aged 7+. The perch age range in the upper part of the Ilimsk branch of the Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir is represented by individuals of six age groups, from 1+ (commercial length 92.7 mm, body weight 14.8 g) to 6+ (177.3 mm and 116 g, respectively), with a predominance of individuals aged 2+ (118.8 mm and 29.9 g). In the lower part, the age range is represented much more widely: the catches included perch from 16 age groups from 2+ (105 mm and 21.5 g) to 17+ (370 mm and 682 g, respectively), with a predominance of younger fish. Perch growth rates in different sections of the Ilim part are similar. The male-female ratio in our catches from the upper part was 1:1.27, while in the lower part it was 3.47:1. Maturity in males from the Ilim branch occurs occasionally at the age of 1+, mostly at 2+, and in females a year later. Current absolute individual fecundity values in the upper section vary with age from 7,578 eggs at age 2+ to 10,125 eggs at age 6+, averaging 8,928 eggs. In the lower section, absolute fecundity in fish aged 4+ varies from 4,003 to 99,357 eggs at age 12, averaging 45,357 eggs. Spawning occurs in late May and early June. During the open-water period, perch primarily feed on the most abundant benthic (amphipods, chironomids) and planktonic (crustaceans) aquatic invertebrates in younger age groups, while older perch feed on smaller fish species (sand sculpin, conspecific juveniles).
About the Authors

Yuriev Anatoliy Leonidovich Candidate of Sciences (Biology), Associate Professor Irkutsk State University 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation e-mail: yuriev@bk.ru 

Vokin Aleksey Innokentyevich Candidate of Sciences (Biology), Associate Professor Irkutsk State University 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation e-mail: vokin@bk.ru 

Batranin Dmitriy Aleksandrovitch Lead Engineer Irkutsk State University 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation e-mail: badmal3477@gmail.com 

Samusenok Vitaliy Petrovich Candidate of Sciences (Biology), Associate Professor Irkutsk State University 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation e-mail: samusenk@mail.ru 

Matveev Arkadiy Nikolaevich Doctor of Sciences (Biology), Professor, Head of Chair Irkutsk State University 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation e-mail: matvbaikal@mail.ru

For citation
Yuriev A.L., Vokin A.I., Batranin D.A., Samusenok V.P., Matveev A.N. Biology of Perch in the Ilim Branch of the Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir (Irkutsk Region, East Siberia). The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Biology. Ecology, 2025, vol. 53, pp. 57-72. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2025.53.57 (in Russian)
Keywords
perch, age-sex structure, growth, fecundity, diets, Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir, East Siberia.
UDC
597.556.331.1(282.256.347)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2025.53.57
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