Almost 1.1 thousand tons of salmon have been harvested in the district since the beginning of the fishing season. This indicator is almost twice worse than the most unsuccessful years. The exception was the region of the Khatyrka River and the Meynypilgynskaya lake-river system, Chukotka news agency reports.

Dead beluga whales and walruses have been found washed ashore in the estuary near the capital of Chukotka, with the cause of death currently unknown.

Marine hunters of eastern Chukotka often encounter "stinky" whales whose meat is unsuitable for food. The situation has become a problem for local residents. Researchers from Moscow State University and the Beringia National Park believe they have found the causes of an unpleasant odor in animals.

The specific "medical" smell of whale meat may be caused by liver disease or the animals' diet. Chukchi Sea hunters began noticing the pungent, unpleasant smell in some whales about 20 years ago. Recently, the number of stinky whales has increased. Scientists with Beringia National Park analyzed the isotopic composition in 46 samples of gray whales. “Stinky” whales had significantly lower levels of heavy nitrogen. Scientists still must understand whether this is a result of liver disease or a diet based on algae. Scientists hope to study more high-quality samples of “stinky” whales.