Fish industry news

Though May-June is the lowest season for exporters from Pacific Russian fisheries, still some developments have been underway while the fishmeal problem has switched to positive tracks

OJSC "Russian sea Group" (hereinafter "the Company" or "the Group"), one of Russia's leading consumer food companies, today announces launch of the marine atlantic salmon farm on the site in Barents Sea, Murmansk region ...

The NE Sakhalin Island pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) fishery on Russia's east coast has been awarded Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification after independent auditor MRAG determined the fishery meets the MSC standard as a sustainable and well-managed fishery. The pink salmon harvested from this fishery may now display the blue MSC ecolabel.

During the Brussels Seafood Expo on April 24th, the Russian Pollock Catchers Association (PCA) agreed the formation of the "Russian Pollock Sustainability Alliance" (RSPA) to advance the development of Russian Pollock fisheries, reports www.megafishnet

On 7 June 2012 Russia's PM Dmitry Medvedev approved a draft order on introducing amendments into the state privatization program for the period of 2011-2013 thus making a final decision regarding privatization of the last government-owned fishing combine Arkhangelsk Trawl Fleet - the 10-year quota share holder with more than 20,000 MT of annual cod fishing rights ...

In May 2012 the Russian harvest in the Atlantic Ocean amounted to 80,100 MT, 34,700 MT down on the previous month 2012. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels also declined from 20% to 17%, reports www.megafishnet.com.

With recently appointed Minister Nikolay Federov fisheries industry, which has always been a step daughter for the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, has got the chance to become one of priority sectors for development, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/

By President's decree dated 22 May current Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency has been transferred under the Ministry of Agriculture

At a recent meeting in the offices of Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency main incentives for fishing fleet renewal have been outlined, Russia's fishery head Andrey Krainy told a press-conference

Auctions season is practically over. Almost all the roe produced in 2012 has been sold, the rest in Busan and production at East Sakhalin zone will not change general statistics. As usual, exact price is not always known and sometimes it is difficult to learn, however, general discussions with sellers and buyers give a lot of intelligence to process.

Though May-June is the lowest season for exporters from Pacific Russia, still the product range traded has been wide enough with the main point of interest focusing on pollock fillet contracts with Europe.

In a way similar to Listeria monocytogenes outbreak derailing Viciunai French smoked salmon expansion in the recent past, salmon exports of 13 Norwegian plants to Russia have been hit by restrictions as of 5 May current due to insufficient food safety routines as claimed by Russia's vet watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor. To resolve the crisis a team of Custom Union inspectors (RF, Belarus and Kazakhstan) will be visiting Norway in June in order to check plants wishing to export to Russia and sort out food safety concerns in negotiations with Norway's Mattilsynet, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/

Murmansk-based fishing company OOO Persey (ltd) and Saint Petersburg shipbuilders OAO Pella (plc) have launched a joint project for construction of a series of high-tech longliners for sustainable bottomfish operations in the Barents Sea, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/

Senegal's new government has revoked the licenses of 29 foreign fishing trawlers and demanded that they land their catches in the capital Dakar before leaving the country's waters. The ban first of all has touched Russian vessels, namely 10 trawlers owned by Murmansk Trawl Fleet who used to harvest ca.*** MT of Senegal fish during the season which accounted for **% of the total harvest of local fishermen, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/

So far little known Eretik Island in the village of Ura-Guba, Cola Peninsula, may soon become one of the centres for aquaculture development in Murmansk region. In its waters farmers are ready to install cages for Atlantic salmon culture, smolt is coming soon, reports http://www.megafishnet.com

To continue computerization of its production facilities Murmansk Trawl Fleet plc has hired NPP SpetsTek (scientific and production company) which will introduce information system of vessel maintenance and repair management of MTF's affiliates, namely ZAO MTF-1, ZAO MTF-2, ZAO MTF-3 and ZAO MTF-4, reports http://www.megafishnet.com

Thanks to multimillion investments into aquaculture Saint-Petersburg-based seafood producer Baltiisky Bereg is planning to raise its farmed salmon output to *** MT by 2013, reports www.megafishnet.com