The state of the population of narrow-clawed crayfish in Lake Sevan (Armenia) under multiple stress conditions

The narrow-clawed crayfish is a crayfish species that was accidentally introduced into the ecosystem of Lake Sevan in the 1980s. Soon it became one of the most preferred fisheries in the lake and an important link in the food chain by successfully replacing the endemic fish subspecies Sevan khramicarp (Capoeta sevangi, De Filippi, 1865) in the chain of detritivores. However, recently, the stock declines dramatically, associated with two main threats: the impact of burn-spot disease and an increase in fishing pressure on its population. To estimate the state of population under multiple stress conditions, we investigated the dynamics of stock, the size/age and sex structure, the fecundity, and the health status of the population. A comparative analysis of oxidative stress biomarkers (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase activities and reduced glutathione, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance contents) showed significant differences between healthy and infected individuals. Another indirect effect of the disease, which probably leads to a decrease in the stock, was an increase in the proportion of immature females. Also, we observed some decrease in the infection rate along with the decline in the density of crayfish. However, stock reduction and some changes in the population may also be caused by a strong bloom of cyanobacteria.