Resources and habitat conditions of the bivalve mollusk Anadara broughtonii in the northern part of Amur Bay (Sea of Japan)

The population of ark shell Anadara broughtonii inhabiting the northern part of Amur Bay (Sea of Japan) is prone to the effects of the unstable environmental factors characteristic of the estuarine zone. The significant proportion of individuals with a decreased growth rate is due to the ecological and physiological peculiarities of the species at the northern limit of the geographical range. During the period of 2004–2009, the temperature and salinity characteristics in the habitats of A. broughtonii showed no significant fluctuations. The commercial fishing for the ark shell was performed taking into account the scientifically approved maximum allowable catch size. The current condition of the population can be considered as stable.