CURRENT STATE

The basin of the Azov Sea occupies more than 618 000 km² of rich farming territories. Approximately 17 % of industrial and 22 % of agricultural production of ex-USSR were produced there. In the past Azov Sea was a very productive water body with high fishery harvesting. This region is an important centre for coal, metal and machine-building industry, as well as farming (maize, rice, meat production, and more). The establishment of the runoff control of the rivers Don and Kuban has resulted in changing the mean water salinity from 10.4 ‰ (1923-1951) to 11.5-13.8 ‰ (1976-1996). For the period 1952-1972 the anthropogenic growth of the mean salinity was approximately 0.8 ‰ per year, after 1972 this parameter increased up to 2.2 ‰. In this hydrochemical conditions the natural areas of young sturgeons, pike-perch, other commercially important species were decreased up to small regions of the Taganrog Bay (in general approximately 12 % from total sea area).

The periodically summer hypoxia in the near-bottom water (the mean sea depth is 5 meters) is one of the main dangerous Azov Sea hydrochemical phenomenon is. During 1963-1977 the summer hypoxia zone occupied approximately 40 % of total sea. After 1989-1990 hydrogen sulphide was registered in the central part of the sea, as well as in Berdyansk and Temryk's Bays.

Nowadays more than 1200 industrial enterprises dump 18.4 million m3 sewage waters to Azov Sea, and more than 5.5 of them without any treatment. From 1980 the tendency of pesticide pollution growth is registered in the sea. The mean concentration of total pesticides in the water increased in 5 times. Started since 1960 active cultivation of rice has resulted in high pesticide concentrations in water, aquatic animals, as well as in commercial fishes.

Now regular monitoring for all the organic pollution in the Azov Sea basin is not fulfilled. In general, the maximal concentrations of oil is more than maximum allowed concentrations (MAC) in 150 times, phenols - in 34 times, mercury - in 20 times, DDT concentrations reach 400 ng/l (normally - absolute absence).

The main result of pesticide pollution is mass fishes death. During 1980-1985 more than 70 accidents were registered. In 1986 15 accidents were registered, including "April death" - the mass death of pike-perch (more than 250 000 adults - from 1 to 2 kg) and other species (thousands specimens). From 1989 of the death of thousands sturgeons and hundreds dolphins was registered.

The hazardous bacterial pollution problem is very important for recreational activity on Ukraine and Russian coasts. Usually, during last years the Azov Sea north coast was closed for swimming. On this coast there are situated, for example, more than 220 child camps and tens recreational complexes for more 300 000 peoples.

So, the problems with the life space for invertebrates and fishes initiated the great decreasing of Azov Sea fishing, as well as sea farming. The consumption of the fishes and invertebrates (mussels, crayfishes) with the high internal concentrations of organic chemicals as well as using of these organisms for feeding of agricultural animals can generate a lot of human diseases, including cancer. Fishing decrease has initiated the problems with people.

That is why the necessity of research of the reviewed problems became nowadays extremely important.

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