PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, October 13. /TASS/. Mass deaths of marine animals off the coast of Kamchatka are not catastrophic, head of a research diving team of the Belomorsk biological station of the Lomonosov Moscow State University, a marine biologist and expert on invertebrates Alexander Semyonov told journalists on Tuesday.
"In fact, in my opinion, there is nothing catastrophic. Yes, there is mass dying of animals. Yes, the biotopes have cleared up a bit, unfortunately. And now they look much more abandoned than they should. But, when I was diving, I saw a lot of fish. Absolutely wonderful, healthy. All sorts of animals, big and small. <...>. And, it seems to me, when the water temperature goes down slightly, because this phenomenon appears to be temporary, the fauna, which consists of the same species that are preserved in deeper layers, will ascend, most likely, to occupy the vacant niche," the expert said.
At the end of September, mass death of marine life in the Pacific Ocean’s Avacha Bay was reported; 16 people requested medical aid due to issues with organs of sight. Deputy prime minister and the president’s envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev requested an investigation into the causes of the incident. Water, air and sand samples were sent to Russia’s Academy of Sciences, with no critical elevations of maximum allowable concentrations of harmful substances which could have caused corneal burns in humans and mass dying of marine animals having been detected yet.