BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SILVER BREAM (<i>BLICCA BJOERKNA</i>) IN COMMERCIAL FISHERY IN THE KYIV RESERVOIR
Purpose. The determination and analysis of main biological characteristics of silver bream from the point of view of the formation and exploitation of its commercial stock in the Kyiv reservoir. Methodology.The work is based the results of monitoring field studies carried out on the Kyiv reservoir during 2012-2014. Ichthyological materials were collected from standard commercial gill nets with mesh sizes of 30-80 mm, which were set in different habitats and depths of the reservoir. Collection and processing of samples was carried out using conventional ichthyological methods adapted for the Dnieper reservoirs. Findings. According to the data of monitoring gill nets, silver bream population in 2014 was composed of 10 age groups. The majority of their population (70.8%) in catches was composed of age-5 to age-7 fish, i.e. the number of modal classes increased due to the right wing of the older age groups. The frequency distribution of silver bream had a shape of a curve with wide, however broken (due to the reduction in age-5 fish) peak and gradual decrease. Age-length properties, fatness parameters and condition factor of silver bream in the Kiev reservoir during last years remained on the stable high level indicating on favorable fattening conditions and forming the ichthyomass of this species. At the present time, silver bream of the Kyiv reservoir formed a commercial stock with such qualitative and quantitative characteristics, which allow exploiting it in the mode of traditional commercial harvest and specialized harvest of silver bream concentrations with the use of gill nets with mesh sizes of 50, 60 mm. Originality. We obtained and analyzed the new data on the current state of silver bream (Blіcca bjoerkna) in Kyiv reservoir as an important element of commercial fish production. Practical value. The results of the work allows increasing qualitative and quantitative characteristics of silver bream catches and will be used for the preparation of commercial fishery regime for the Kyiv reservoir.