Cryoanthropology: natural low temperatures and development of fishing in Yakutia in the 1940s

Suleymanov Alexander A.

The article presents a pioneering attempt in historiography to study the use in the economy of Yakutia of wartime and post-war time advantages provided by the presence of a long period of natural low temperatures. In terms of analyzing the history of the exploitation of these cold preferences, issues of the development of fisheries were considered. After the German troops occupied a large area of the Soviet Union, these issues occupied an important agenda. It is shown that efforts focused on intensification of fishing in Yakutia (including repressive ones) allowed to achieve outstanding success, as a result of which he acquired an allied role. On the basis of attracting archival material, including for the first time introduced into scientific circulation, the value of long cold winters and permafrost in Yakutia to ensure the safety of fish caught is shown.

Keywords:Arctic, Yakutia, fishing, cryoanthropology, special settlers, cold climate, permafrost