A short description of the geographical and environmental characteristics of the Southern Indian Ocean area and the principal characteristics (depth, bottom topography, hydrological conditions, temperature and salinity) is given. Mention is also made of the biotic components - the plankton and benthos. The area referred to by the Circular includes the Mozambique Plateau, Madagascar Plateau (Ridge), Walters Bank (shoals), Southwest Indian Ridge, Central Indian Ridge, Ninety-east Ridge and Southeast Indian Ridge (Broken Ridge). A map of the area (in the FAO statistical area 51 20-45°S, 20-80°E; in the FAO area 57 10-45°S, 80-110°E) has been prepared showing the locations of the sea mounts referred to in the report.
An almost complete list of research and searching cruises in the area is tabulated that includes incidental operations of vessels passing through area, the period and area of operations, and their cruise objectives purposes.
The catch results of Soviet/Ukrainian fisheries is given by subareas, type of gears, type of vessels, fishing effort and catch by species. Where it is known, those vessels that participated in the fishery are listed.
For each vessel, a description of the cruise objectives and the principal results of the research expeditions, by type of fishing gears, is given in chronological order. This includes a short description of fishing gears that were used and any peculiarities of its deployment which were:
i. bottom and midwater trawling
ii. bottom longlining
iii. vertical (drop) lining and
iv. Fishing using lobster pots.
The report does not describe any tuna longline exploration or commercial fishing results for these fishes, nor lift-nets expeditions for Atlantic saury, nor fishing using vertical squid lines.
The results of trawl stock assessment surveys, including the methods of estimating biomass and the results are given for the following cruises:
i. 17th cruise of R.V. Fiolent
ii. 19th cruise of R.V. Fiolent
iii. 21st cruise of R.V. Fiolent
iv. 23rd cruise of R.V. Fiolent
v. 29th cruise of R.V. Zvezda Kryma
vi. 2nd cruise of R.V. Zvezda Sevastopolya and the
vii. 7th cruise of R.V. Ignat Pavlyuchenkov.
Some comment is made of the biology of principal species whose abundance was estimated and the status of stocks which includes:
i. the species composition of fish and shellfish community of the underwater ridges in the Southern Indian Ocean
ii. the biology of principal fish species that were targeted and
iii. any basic peculiarities of fish stock formations (by region) associated with the underwater ridges, taking into consideration mechanisms of higher primary productivity associated with underwater seamounts and ridges.
Some comments are provided about the history of Soviet/Ukrainian fisheries in the Southern Indian Ocean and the strategies required to ensure sustainable utilization of fish stocks associated with the seamounts, and some considerations on the need for international cooperation in fisheries regulation and stock managements in the area.
