Knowra Sea of Okhotsk Sea of Okhotsk The Sea of Okhotsk is a marginal sea of the northwest Pacific, bordered by eastern Siberia, the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Kuril Islands, and Hokkaido. It is largely enclosed by Russian territory and Japan.
Sea ice : Frozen seawater that forms, persists, and melts on the ocean surface. Seasonal ice covers much of the sea and strongly affects its heat and ecosystem.
Sea of Okhotsk fisheries : Commercial fisheries harvesting species such as pollock, salmon, crab, and herring in the Sea of Okhotsk. Its productive waters support fisheries central to Russia’s Far Eastern economy.
Sakhalin : A large island in the western Pacific, north of Hokkaido and east of mainland Russia. Its eastern shores form a long boundary of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Sea of Okhotsk polynya : An area of open water or thin ice maintained within surrounding sea ice by winds, currents, or heat. Recurring coastal polynyas help produce dense water and sustain winter wildlife.
Oyashio Current : A cold ocean current flowing southward along the western North Pacific. It carries cold, nutrient-rich water from the Okhotsk region toward Japan.
Walleye pollock : A North Pacific schooling fish that supports one of the world’s largest fisheries. Pollock is a major target of fishing fleets operating in the sea.
Kamchatka Peninsula : A volcanic peninsula in Russia’s Far East extending between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk. Its western coast directly borders the sea.
Okhotsk Sea ice extent : The area covered by sea ice in the Sea of Okhotsk, which varies seasonally and between years. Its winter maximum is among the largest seasonal ice extents at this latitude.
Soya Strait : A strait between Hokkaido and Sakhalin connecting the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. It is one of the sea’s principal routes for water exchange with neighboring seas.
Kamchatka crab : A large North Pacific crab harvested commercially, especially in waters around Kamchatka. Crab fisheries are among the sea’s best-known high-value marine industries.
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