Sakhalin is washed by two seas: from the west and southwest - by the warm waters of the Sea of Japan, from the north and east - by the cold Sea of Okhotsk. The island is separated from the mainland by the Tatar Strait, and from the Japanese island of Hokkaido - by the La Perouse Strait.
Sakhalin is called "Russia's fish storehouse." It is curious that the island itself partly resembles a fish in its outline. Salmon, flounder, mackerel, halibut, greenling, navaga and other valuable fish species are commercially caught here.
There are more than 20 varieties of crab in the Sea of Okhotsk, including the famous Kamchatka crab. Giant oysters, scallops, shrimp, trepangs, and sea urchins are caught in the underwater depths. Crabs, red fish, caviar and canned seafood are the main Sakhalin souvenirs.
The region is home to a large number of pinnipeds. On Tyuleniy Island in the southwestern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, there is a huge rookery of fur seals. The rocky shores of Cape Aniva are favored by ringed seals. Not far from the city of Nevelsk, you can see the imposing sea lions that come here for the winter in January and February from the Commander and Aleutian Islands.
There are 17 species of cetaceans in the seas of the Sakhalin Region. Gray whales live in shallow waters near the urban-type settlement of Nogliki, and can be seen in the summer during a boat trip.

To watch the killer whales, go on an excursion to the waters of Cape Aniva. If you came to watch whales, stay at the AZIMUT Apart Hotel Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, from which you can get to the picturesque cape in 45 minutes by taxi.