In what part of the ocean is the Sea of ​​​​Okhotsk. Sea of ​​Okhotsk (shores in Russia). Relief and geological structure of the bottom

This natural reservoir is considered one of the deepest and largest in Russia. The coolest Far Eastern sea is located between the waters of the Bering and the Sea of ​​Japan.

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk separates the territories of the Russian Federation and Japan and is the most important port point for our country.

After reviewing the information in the article, you can learn about the richest resources of the Sea of ​​​​Okhotsk and the history of the formation of the reservoir.

About the title

Previously, the sea had other names: Kamchatskoe, Lamskoe, Hokkai among the Japanese.

The current name of the sea was given by the name of the Okhota River, which in turn comes from the Even word "okat", which translates as "river". The former name (Lamskoe) also came from the Even word "lam" (translated as "sea"). Hokkai literally translates to "North Sea" in Japanese. However, due to the fact that this Japanese name now refers to the sea of ​​the North Atlantic Ocean, its name was changed to Ohotsuku-kai, which is an adaptation of the Russian name to the norms of Japanese phonetics.

Geography

Before proceeding to the description of the richest resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, we briefly present its geographical position.

The reservoir, located between the Bering and the Seas of Japan, strongly goes into the land of the mainland. Arc Kuril Islands the waters of the sea are separated from the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The reservoir has for the most part natural boundaries, and its conditional borders are with the Sea of ​​Japan.

The Kuriles, which are about 3 dozen small areas of land and separating the ocean from the sea, are located in a seismically hazardous zone due to the presence of a large number of volcanoes on them. In addition, the waters of these two natural reservoirs are separated by the island of Hokkaido and Kamchatka. The largest island in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is Sakhalin. The largest rivers flowing into the sea are Amur, Okhota, Bolshaya and Penzhina.

Description

The area of ​​the sea is approximately 1603 thousand square meters. km, the volume of water - 1318 thousand cubic meters. km. The maximum depth is 3916 meters, the average is 821 m. The type of sea is mixed, continental-marginal.

Several bays pass along the rather even coastal boundary of the reservoir. The northern part of the coast is represented by many rocks and rather sharp cliffs. Storm is a frequent and quite common occurrence for this sea.

Features of nature and all resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are partly related to climate conditions and unusual terrain.

For the most part, the seashores are rocky and high. From the sea, from afar on the horizon, they are distinguished by black stripes, framed on top by brownish green spots of sparse vegetation. Only in some places (the western coast of Kamchatka, the northern part of Sakhalin), the coastline is low, fairly wide areas.

The bottom in some respects is similar to the bottom of the Sea of ​​Japan: in many places there are hollows under water, which indicate that the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe present sea in the Quaternary period was above sea level, and huge rivers flowed in this place - Penzhina and Amur.

Sometimes, during earthquakes, waves appear in the ocean, reaching several tens of meters in height. Related to this is an interesting historical fact. In 1780, one of these waves during an earthquake deep into the island of Urup (300 meters from the coast) brought the ship "Natalia", which remained on land. This fact is confirmed by the record preserved from those times.

Geologists believe that the territory of the eastern part of the sea is one of the most "troubled" areas on the globe. And today quite large movements of the earth's crust are taking place here. In this part of the ocean, underwater earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are often observed.

A bit of history

Rich Natural resources The Sea of ​​Okhotsk began to attract the attention of people from its very discovery, which occurred during the first campaigns of the Cossacks to the Pacific Ocean through Siberia. It was then called the Lam Sea. Then, after the discovery of Kamchatka, trips along the sea and the coast to this richest peninsula and to the mouth of the river. Penzhins have become more frequent. In those days, the sea already bore the names Penzhinskoe and Kamchatskoe.

After leaving Yakutsk, the Cossacks moved east not straight through the taiga and mountains, but along the winding rivers and channels between them. Such a caravan path eventually led them to a river called the Hunt, and along it they were already moving to the seashore. That is why this reservoir was named Okhotsk. Since then on sea ​​coast many significant and important major centers. The name that has been preserved since then testifies to the important historical role of the port and the river, from which people began the development of this vast, richest sea area.

Features of nature

The natural resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are quite attractive. This is especially true for the regions of the Kuril Islands. It's perfect special world, consisting of a total of 30 large and small islands. This range also includes rocks. volcanic origin. Today, there are active volcanoes on the islands (about 30), which clearly indicates that the bowels of the earth are restless here and now.

Some islands have underground hot springs (temperature up to 30-70°C), many of which have healing properties.

Very severe climatic conditions for life on the Kuril Islands (especially in the northern part). Here long time mists persist, and in winter very often strong storms arise.

Rivers

Many rivers, mostly small ones, flow into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. This is the reason for the relatively small continental flow (about 600 cubic km per year) of water into it, and about 65% of it belongs to the Amur River.

Other relatively large rivers are Penzhina, Uda, Okhota, Bolshaya (in Kamchatka), which carry a much smaller volume into the sea. fresh water. Water flows to a greater extent in spring and early summer.

Fauna

The biological resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are very diverse. This is the most biologically productive sea in Russia. It provides 40% of domestic and more than half of the Far Eastern catches of fish, crustaceans and mollusks. At the same time, it is believed that the biological potential of the sea is underutilized today.

A huge variety of depths and bottom topography, hydrological and climatic conditions in some parts of the sea, a good supply of fish food - all this led to the richness of the ichthyofauna of these places. The northern part of the sea contains 123 species of fish in its waters, the southern part - 300 species. Approximately 85 species are endemic. This is the Sea - real paradise for lovers of sea fishing.

Fishing, seafood production and production of salmon caviar are actively developing on the territory of the sea. The inhabitants of the sea waters of this region: pink salmon, chum salmon, cod, sockeye salmon, flounder, coho, pollock, herring, saffron cod, chinook salmon, squid, crabs. On the Shantar Islands, hunting (limited) for fur seals is carried out, and the extraction of kelp, mollusks and sea urchins is also becoming popular.

Of the animals, the white whale, seal and seal are of particular commercial value.

Flora

The resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are inexhaustible. Flora of the reservoir: arctic species predominate in the northern part, species of the temperate region prevail in the southern part. Plankton (larvae, mollusks, crustaceans, etc.) provides abundant food for fish throughout the year. The phytoplankton of the sea is represented mainly by diatoms, and the bottom flora contains many species of red, brown and green algae, as well as extensive meadows of sea grass. In total, the composition of the coastal flora of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk includes about 300 species of vegetation.

In comparison with the Bering Sea, the benthic fauna here is more diverse, and in comparison with the Sea of ​​Japan, it is less rich. The main food fields for deep-sea fish are the northern shallow waters, as well as the East Sakhalin and western Kamchatka shelves.

Mineral resources

The mineral resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are especially rich. Only the water of the sea contains almost all the elements of the table of D. I. Mendeleev.

The bottom of the sea has exceptional reserves of globigerin and diamond silts, consisting mainly of shells of unicellular tiny algae and protozoa. Sludge is a valuable raw material for the production of insulating building materials and high quality cement.

The shelf of the sea is also promising for prospecting for hydrocarbon deposits. The rivers of the Aldan-Okhotsk watershed and the lower reaches of the Amur have long been famous for placers of valuable metals, which indicates that there is a possibility of finding underwater ore deposits in the sea. Perhaps there are still many unexplored raw materials in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

It is known that the lower shelf horizons and part of the continental slope adjoining them are enriched in phosphorite concretions. There is another more realistic prospect - the extraction of rare elements contained in the bone remains of mammals and fish, and such accumulations are found in deep-sea sediments of the Yuzhno-Okhotskaya basin.

It is impossible to remain silent about amber. The very first finds of this mineral on the eastern coast of Sakhalin date back to the middle of the 19th century. At that time, representatives of the Amur expedition worked here. It should be noted that Sakhalin amber is very beautiful - it is perfectly polished, cherry-red and highly appreciated by specialists. The largest pieces of wood fossil resin (up to 0.5 kg) were discovered by geologists near the village of Ostromysovsky. Amber is also found in the oldest deposits of the Taigonos Peninsula, as well as in Kamchatka.

Conclusion

In short, the resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are extremely rich and diverse, it is impossible to list all of them, let alone describe them.

Today, the value of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk in national economy determined by the use of its richest natural resources and maritime transportation. The main wealth of this sea are game animals, primarily fish. However, already today, a rather high level of danger of pollution of the sea fishing zones with oil products as a result of discharges of oily waters by fishing vessels creates a situation that requires certain measures to increase the level of environmental safety of the work being carried out.

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is one of the largest and deepest seas in Russia. Here are important sea ​​routes connecting Vladivostok with the northern regions of the Far East and the Kuril Islands. Major ports on the coast of the mainland - Magadan and Okhotsk; on Sakhalin Island - Korsakov; on the Kuril Islands - Severo-Kurilsk.

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk was discovered by Russian explorers I. Yu. Moskvitin and V. D. Poyarkov in the first half of the 17th century. From 1733, work began on the Second Kamchatka Expedition, whose members made up detailed maps almost all of its coasts.

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk, also called the Lamsky or Kamchatka Sea, is a semi-enclosed sea in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. It washes the shores of Russia and Japan (Hokkaido Island).

From the west, it is bounded by the mainland Asia from Cape Lazarev to the mouth of the Penzhina River; from the north - the Kamchatka Peninsula; islands from the east Kuril ridge and from the south by the islands of Hokkaido and Sakhalin.

WITH Pacific Ocean The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is connected through the system of the Kuril Straits. There are more than 30 such straits and their overall width over 500 kilometers. It has communication with the Sea of ​​Japan through the Nevelskoy and La Perouse straits.

Characteristics of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk

The sea is named after the river Okhota, which flows into it. The area of ​​the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is 1,603,000 square kilometers. Its average depth is 1780 meters, with a maximum depth of 3916 meters. From north to south, the sea stretches for 2445 kilometers, and from east to west for 1407 kilometers. The approximate volume of water enclosed in it is 1365 thousand cubic kilometers.

The coastline of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is slightly indented. Its length is 10460 kilometers. Its largest bays are: Shelikhov Bay, Sakhalin Bay, Udskaya Bay, Tauyskaya Bay and Academy Bay. The northern, northwestern and northeastern shores are high and rocky. At the confluence of large rivers (Amur, Uda, Okhota, Gizhiga, Penzhina), as well as in the west of Kamchatka, in the northern part of Sakhalin and Hokkaido, the coasts are predominantly low.

From October to May-June, the northern part of the sea is covered with ice. southeastern part practically does not freeze. In winter, the water temperature near the sea surface ranges from -1.8 °C to 2.0 °C, in summer the temperature rises to 10-18 °C.

Salinity surface water Sea of ​​Okhotsk is 32.8-33.8 ppm, and the salinity of coastal waters usually does not exceed 30 ppm.

Climate of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is located in the monsoon climate zone of temperate latitudes. For most of the year, cold dry winds blow from the mainland, cooling the northern half of the sea. From October to April, negative air temperatures and a stable ice cover are observed here.

In the northeastern part of the sea, the average temperature in January - February ranges from -14 to -20 ° C. In the northern and western regions the temperature varies from - 20 to - 24 ° C. In the southern and eastern parts of the sea, it is much warmer in winter from - 5 to - 7 ° C.

Average temperatures in July and August, respectively, wound 10-12 ° C; 11-14°C; 11-18 ° C. The annual amount of precipitation in different places of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is also different. So in the north, 300-500 mm of precipitation falls annually; in the west up to 600-800 mm; in the southern and southeastern parts of the sea - over 1000 mm.

According to the composition of organisms living in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, it is more of an arctic character. Due to the thermal effect of oceanic waters, species of the temperate zone are predominantly inhabited by the southern and southeastern parts of the sea.

Numerous settlements of mussels, littorinas and other mollusks, barnacles, sea urchins, and many crabs are noted in coastal zones.

A rich fauna of invertebrates has been discovered at great depths of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Glass sponges, holothurians, deep-sea corals, decapods live here.

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is rich in fish. The most valuable are salmon species: chum salmon, pink salmon, coho salmon, chinook salmon and sockeye salmon. There is an industrial catch of herring, pollock, flounder, cod, navaga, capelin and smelt.

Large mammals live in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk - whales, seals, sea lions and fur seals. There are many sea birds that arrange noisy "bazaars" on the coasts.

The UN recognized the enclave of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk as part of the Russian shelf

Inessa Dotsenko

The UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf recognized the enclave of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk with an area of ​​52,000 square kilometers as part of the Russian continental shelf.

According to ITAR-TASS, this was stated by Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Sergei Donskoy.

We have officially received a document from the UN Commission on the Continental Shelf on the satisfaction of our application to recognize the enclave in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk as the Russian shelf. This is an event that has actually taken place, so I would like to congratulate everyone on this,” he said.

The commission's decision, according to the minister, is unconditional and has no retroactive effect. Now the enclave is fully subject to Russian jurisdiction.

According to ITAR-TASS, Donskoy also said that Russia's application for the expansion of the continental shelf in the Arctic will be ready this fall.

All the resources that will be found there - everything will be mined exclusively within the framework of Russian legislation, - said Donskoy. He said that, according to geologists, the total volume of hydrocarbons discovered in this area exceeds one billion tons.

Magadan Governor Vladimir Pecheny believes that the recognition of the enclave in the middle of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk as part of the Russian continental shelf opens up new prospects for the economy of Kolyma and the entire Far East. First of all, it will relieve the fishermen of the region from numerous administrative barriers.

Firstly, fishing for fish, crabs, shellfish can be carried out freely anywhere in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. Special permits from the border service will not be required both when going to sea and upon returning. Secondly, when not only the 200-mile zone, but the whole sea becomes Russian territory, we will get rid of poaching by foreign fishermen in our waters. It will be easier to keep the unique environment, - the press service of the government of the region quotes the words of Baked.

Reference

In the center of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk there is an elongated enclave of considerable size. Previously, all of it was considered "open sea". Vessels of any state could freely move and fish on its territory. In November 2013, Russia managed to prove the rights to 52,000 square kilometers of water in the center of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. For comparison, this is more than the area of ​​Holland, Switzerland or Belgium. The center of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk ceased to be part of the World Ocean and became completely Russian. After approval at the UN session, the process of legally assigning the enclave to the Russian continental shelf can be considered fully completed.

The depth of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk reaches an average of 1780 m, and the maximum is approximately 3916 m. At the same time, its area is 1603 thousand km². It does not have the same depth, in the west it is less than in the eastern part. Many scientists classify it as semi-closed. It washes the Asian part of Eurasia and belongs to the Pacific Ocean.

Map of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk washes the shores of the two states of Japan and. It is called Hokkai, literally - Northern. However, due to the existence of such a sea in atlantic ocean distribution received a new name, derived from the word Okhotsk - Okhotsuku-ka.

It is noteworthy that most of the territory of this sea belongs to inland waters of these states and only a small part of it, according to the norms of international maritime law, is the high seas.
With the Pacific Ocean, this sea is connected by a number of straits located between the Kuril Islands. There are also exits to. They are connected by two straits through the Amur estuary: Tatar and Nevelskoy. And also through the La Perouse Strait. From the north and west, this sea is limited by the continental coast. In the east - the Kamchatka Peninsula and the islands. In the South - the island of Hokaido and the island of Sakhalin.
Speaking about the coastline, it should be noted that it is not very homogeneous. So in the north, the coast is noticeably more indented than in the western part. The largest bay of this sea is located in the northeast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and is called Shelikhov Bay. In addition, fairly large bays in this sea are: Eyrineyskaya Bay, Babushkina, Zabiyaka, Sheltinga and Kekurny bays. East End The sea, washing the Kamchatka Peninsula, has practically no bays.
Surface water temperatures reach an average of 1.8°C in winter and range from 10 to 18°C ​​in summer. It should be noted that in winter period, or rather, somewhere from October to May, sometimes until mid-June, the part of the sea located in the north is covered with ice. While the southern one usually does not freeze. Surface layer sea ​​water has approximately - 33.8% salinity.
This sea is characterized by mixed and diurnal tides. Their maximum amplitude is recorded in the area of ​​the Gizhiginskaya Bay, where it sometimes reaches 13 m.

Okhotsk fauna and flora

If we consider living creatures living in this sea, one can easily notice the heterogeneity of their composition in the northern and southern parts. In the north, it is inhabited for the most part by species characteristic of the Arctic seas, while in the south by those that usually live in a temperate maritime climate.
A large amount of plankton, especially zooplankton, is food for fish living in these waters. Diatoms are the most numerous among phytoplankton. Enough here and red, brown, and green algae. In addition, here you can find vast meadows of Zostera - sea grass. In general, there are more than 300 species of them in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.
There are also many species of fish here, in the northern part there are 123 species, and in the southern part there are more than 300. Among them, there are many deep-sea ones. In terms of fishing, halibut, cod, chum salmon, ivasi, pollock, pink salmon, flounder, coho salmon and even chinook salmon are most often caught. Salmon fishing is limited. This is due to a significant decrease in their population due to overfishing in the past. On this moment an artificial increase in their number.
There are also crustaceans here, moreover, crabbing is carried out at west coast. Takes here and marine mammals, among which fishing is carried out for seals, beluga whales and seals.
The Sea of ​​Okhotsk has an important transport value, in addition, it is of interest for oil production. IN historical plan it is not easy to single out significant events in it. Quite important naval battles took place here during the Russo-Japanese War.

Traveling on Okhotsk - for extreme people

How tourist area this sea is not used due to the cold climate. But the pristine nature will attract the attention of fans of extreme sports. Lots of rare plants natural landscape, the opportunity to watch seals resting on rocks or unique birds nesting here. A multitude of diverse species, both marine and land-dwelling animals, and the incomparable view of the steel-gray sky and the sea surface leave an indelible impression.

And many feet under the keel!)))

Sea of ​​Okhotsk, whose resources have great importance for states, one of the most major seas related to the Pacific Ocean. Located off the coast of Asia. It is separated from the ocean and islands - Hokkaido, east coast Sakhalin and the chain of Kuril lands.

It is worth noting that this sea is considered the coldest of all located on Far East. Even in summer, the temperature above it does not exceed 18 degrees C. south side, and in the northeast thermometers show 10 degrees - this is the maximum figure.

Brief description of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk

It is cold and powerful. The Sea of ​​Okhotsk washes the shores of Japan and Russia. According to its outlines, the reservoir resembles an ordinary trapezoid. The sea stretches from the southwest to the northeast. The maximum length is 2.463 km and the maximum width is 1.500 km. The coastline is over 10,000 km long. The depth of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk (indicator of the maximum depression) is almost 4,000 km. The type of reservoir adjacent to the outskirts of the mainland is mixed.

Volcanic activity extends both to the surface and to the bottom of the sea. When a seismic movement or explosion occurs underwater underwater volcano, it can cause huge tsunami waves.

hydronym

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk, whose resources are used in the national economic spheres of the two countries (Russia and Japan), got its name from the name of the Okhota River. By official sources earlier it was called Lamsky and Kamchatsky. In Japan, for a long time the sea was called "Northern". But due to confusion with another body of the same name, the hydronym was adapted and now the sea is called the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Importance of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk for Russia

It cannot be overestimated. Since 2014, the Sea of ​​Okhotsk belongs to the inland waters of the Russian Federation. The state makes full use of its resources. First of all, it is the main supplier of salmon fish species. These are chum salmon, sockeye salmon, chinook salmon and other members of the family. The extraction of caviar is organized here, which is highly valued. No wonder Russia is considered one of the largest suppliers of this product.

The problems of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, however, as well as other water bodies, have led to a significant decrease in populations. It was for this state that it was necessary to limit the catch of fish. And this applies not only to the salmon family, but also to other species, such as herring, flounder, cod.

Industry

Russia has achieved great results in the development of industry on the shores of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. First of all, these are ship repair enterprises and, of course, fish processing factories. These two areas were modernized in the 90s and are now of great importance for economic development states. Nowadays, many commercial enterprises have appeared here.

Industry is also developing quite well on about. Sakhalin. Earlier, in tsarist times, he was perceived negatively, as he served as a place for exile of people objectionable to the rule. Now the picture has changed radically. The industry is flourishing, people themselves tend to come here in order to earn big money.

Kamchatka seafood processing enterprises entered the world market. Their products are highly appreciated abroad. It meets the standards and is quite popular in many countries.

Thanks to oil and gas deposits, Russia is a monopoly in this area. There is not a single state that could supply the same volumes of oil and gas to Europe. That is why a lot of money from the sovereign treasury is invested in these enterprises.

Islands

There are few islands in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the largest of them is Sakhalin. Its coastline is heterogeneous: lowlands are observed in the northeast, the southeast is slightly elevated above sea level, and there is a shallow in the west.

The Kuril Islands are of particular interest. They are small in size, there are about 30 large ones, but there are also smaller ones. Together they form a seismic belt - the largest on the planet. There are about 100 volcanoes on the Kuril Islands. Moreover, 30 of them are operational: they can constantly “excite” the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

The resources of the Shantar Islands are fur seals. The largest concentration of this species is observed here. However, recently their production has been regulated in order to avoid complete extermination.

gulfs

The coastline of the reservoir is slightly indented, although it has a large length. There are practically no bays and bays in this area. The basin of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is divided into three basins: the Kuril, TINRO and Deryugin basins.

Most large bays: Sakhalin, Tugursky, Shelikhova, etc. There are also several lips here - deeply cutting into the land sea ​​bays that form the basin of large rivers. Among them are Penzhinskaya, Gizhiginskaya, Udskaya, Tauyskaya. Thanks to the bays, water exchange in the seas also occurs. And at the moment, scientists call this issue quite problematic.

Straits

They are part Okhotsk basin. This is the important element that connects the reservoir with and also with the Pacific Ocean. In addition, there are low and shallow and Nevelsk. They do not play a special role, since they are quite small. But the Krusenstern and Bussol straits are different large area, while their maximum depth reaches 500 meters. In many ways, they regulate the salinity of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Bottom and coastline

The depths of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are not uniform. From the side of Sakhalin and the mainland, the bottom is represented by a shoal - a continuation of the Asian part of the mainland. Its width is approximately 100 km. The rest of the bottom (about 70%) is represented by the continental slope. Near the Kuril Islands, next to about. Iturup is a sore cavity. In this place, the depth of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk reaches 2,500 meters. At the bottom of the reservoir, two large towering sections of relief are distinguished with rather original names: the hill of the Institute of Oceanology and the USSR Academy of Sciences.

The coastline of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk belongs to different geomorphological forms. Most of them are high and steep slopes. Only western territory Kamchatka and the east Sakhalin have a low-lying character. And here north coast is significantly indented.

Water exchange

The continental runoff is small. This is due to the fact that all the rivers flowing into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are not full-flowing, and cannot play a significant role. The most important is r. Cupid, it is on it that more than half of the total indicator of effluents falls. There are others regarding major rivers. This is Hunt, Uda, Bolshaya, Penzhina.

Hydrological characteristic

The reservoir is completely because the salinity of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is quite high. It is 32-34 ppm. It decreases closer to the coast, reaching a mark of 30 ‰, and in the intermediate layer - 34 ‰.

Most of territory covered in winter floating ice. Maximum low temperature water in the cold season ranges from -1 to +2 degrees. In summer sea ​​depths warm up to 10-18ºC.

An interesting fact: at a depth of 100 meters there is an intermediate layer of water, the temperature of which does not change throughout the year and is 1.7 ° C below zero.

Climate features

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk is located in temperate latitudes. This fact renders big influence on mainland, providing the Aleutian minimum dominates in the cold part of the year on the territory of the reservoir. It greatly influences northern winds, causing storm storms that continue throughout the winter.

In the warm season, weak southeasterly winds come from the mainland. Thanks to them, the air temperature rises to a large extent. However, cyclones come along with them, which can later form typhoons. The duration of such a typhoon can be from 5 to 8 days.

Sea of ​​Okhotsk: resources

They will be discussed further. It is known that the natural resources of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk are still poorly explored. The sea shelf with its hydrocarbon reserves is of the greatest value. Today, 7 are open on Sakhalin, Kamchatka, in the Khabarovsk Territory and Magadan administrative center. The development of these deposits began in the 70s. However, in addition to oil, the main wealth of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk is flora and fauna. They are of great variety. Therefore, the industry is highly developed here. The most valuable species of salmon fish are found in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. In the depths, squids are mined, and in terms of catching crabs, the reservoir is in first place in the world. Recently, mining conditions have become more strict and harsh. And there are restrictions on the catch of some fish.

Fur seals, whales, seals live in the northern waters of the sea. Catching these representatives of the animal world is strictly prohibited. IN recent times fishing is gaining popularity - catching sea urchins and shellfish. From flora matter different types seaweed. Speaking about the use of the sea, it is worth noting its importance in transport sector. She is a priority. Important sea lines are laid here. trade routes, which connect big cities Korsakov (Sakhalin), Magadan, Okhotsk and others.

Ecological problems

The Sea of ​​Okhotsk, like other waters of the World Ocean, suffers from human activities. Here are fixed ecological problems in the form of a drain of oil products and residues of gas compounds. Also quite problematic are the waste of industrial and household enterprises.

get dirty coastal zone began with the development of the first offshore fields, but until the end of the 80s it did not have such large-scale dimensions. Now human anthropogenic activity has reached a critical point and requires immediate resolution. The largest concentration of waste and pollution is concentrated off the coast of Sakhalin. This is mainly due to rich oil deposits.