Dynamics of capture quotas 2010 for offshore operations in Russia's Far East

Capture quotas 2010 for offshore operations in the Russian Far East, which have been duly distributed between the users under the respective order of the nation's Federal Fisheries Agency No.1129 dated 8 December 2009, have been increased by 232,200 tonnes on the previous year allocations, reports http://www.fishnet-russia.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/) with reference to reliable sources in Vladivostok.

The increase has been approved despite withdrawal of such species as saury (90,600 tonnes), anchovies (ca.29,000 tonnes), sculpins and skates from commercial quotas. Simultaneously, the list of species falling under the commercial exploitation includes 52,400 tonnes of grenadier (in all the fishing subareas), which was expelled from it last year. Flounders of the West Bering Sea zone, the Karaginsk subarea and the North Kuriles, wachna cod of the West Bering Sea zone (3500 tonnes) and the South Kamchatka subarea (1700 tonnes) have also been returned into the list of commercial species. Additionally for commercial exploitation in the Kamchatka Kurile subarea the Agency has approved capture quotas of 2300 tonnes of flounders, of which 1600 tonnes have been given to Kamchatka-based users. At the same time, flounder allocations in the West Kamchatka subarea have been reduced by more than 9600 tonnes.

The above mentioned quota developments can be attributed mostly to the fact that active fisheries under the agreements on exploitation of aquatic biological resources have resulted into complete exhaustion or even excess of the allowable catch volumes calculated as bringing no damage to stock reproduction. Taking into account the scientific recommendations the Federal Fisheries Agency has banned commercial operations on the grounds of flounder nearly in all the subareas, wachna cod in the Petropavlovsk-Komandor subarea and in two subareas of the Sea of Okhotsk, skates in the North Okhotsk subarea and in the Bering Sea zone.

As compared to last year, considerable increases of pollock capture quotas in the Russian EEZ have been approved practically in all the zones and subareas of the Basin except for pollock quotas in the West Bering Sea zone (-12,900 tonnes) and in the East Sakhalin subarea (-1500 tonnes). In 2010 the fishermen of the Russian Far East have the opportunity to raise the pollock harvest by 206,900 tonnes thanks to increased quotas in the Sea of Okhotsk (977,500 tonnes versus 809,200 tonnes in 2008), in the North Kuriles (+12,100 tonnes), in the Karaginsk subarea (+13,200 tonnes) and in the Petropavlovsk-Komandor subareas (+7000 tonnes).

Last year, according to the pollock surveys in the South Kuriles, the scientists have recommended 20,400 tonnes of pollock for commercial exploitation in the South Kuriles zone. In the current year 2010 the commercial pollock quotas have been increased by 18,600 tonnes.

In the Sea of Okhotsk allowable catches of pollock have been increased by 168,300 tonnes. As for the pollock fishery off the western coast of Kamchatka, in 2010 the quotas in two subareas of West Kamchatka and Kamchatka-Kurile have been merged and the fishermen have therefore been allowed to cover the summarized quota in any of the areas. If the capture quotas in the above suabreas are taken apart, the pollock quota in the West Kamchatka subarea has been increased by 44,500 tonnes and that in the Kamchatka Kurile subareas has been raised by 30,900 tonnes. Moreover, just like in the previous year 2009 the pollock allocations in the North Okhotsk subarea have been increased by 94,400 tonnes. These increases have been grounded by the research surveys, entry of abundant pollock classes to the commercial stock and the current condition of the Okhotsk pollock stock. Already starting from the next year, after a three-year pressure the pollock abundance in the Sea of Okhotsk is forecasted to decline. The commercial stock will be recruited by weak classes. Nevertheless, possible catch losses can be partly compensated by pollock catches in the waters of the North and South Kuriles, as well as at the eastern coast of Kamchatka.

In the meantime, the pollock quotas in the West Bering Sea zone have been continuously decreased in connection with weaker runs of the East Bering Sea pollock to the feeding grounds at the Russian shores. On the contrary, in the waters of East Kamchatka as the abundance of the West Bering Sea pollock spawning off the peninsula's south grows the scientists have raised the pollock TAC 2010 nearly by 50,000 tonnes, the bulk of which have been allocated for inshore operations. Beyond the inshore waters Vladivostok-based fleets have been allowed to increase their pollock catches at the eastern shores of Kamchatka by 7600 tonnes, Sakhalin - by 2100 tonnes and Kamchatka - by 9300 tonnes.

In general, the pollock quotas 2010 are supposed to enable the Basin's companies to predetermine the result of the fishing operations throughout the year. Vladivostok-based fleets will enjoy the pollock quotas 75,800 tonnes higher than last year. The fishermen from Khabarovsk will have a possibility to harvest by 15,700 tonnes of pollock more, Sakhalin fishermen will be able to harvest 44,800 tonnes pollock more, Kamchatka vessels have been approved to catch pollock by 64,100 tonnes more as compared to last year. Magadan and Chukotka fishermen will be able to raise their catch by 4500 and 2100 tonnes on last year.

Comparable analysis of commercial pollock quotas broken down between fishing areas and regions

Herring

The herring quotas 2010 have been increased both in the Bering Sea and in the Sea of Okhotsk. In the Bering Sea Kamchatka fishermen have been allowed to raise their herring catches by 1600 tonnes. The total increase of capture herring quotas in the area have been approved at 2500 tonnes.

In the Sea of Okhotsk commercial stocks of Okhotsk and Gizhigino-Kamchatka herring can sustain commercial catches of ca.300,000 tonnes, 72,200 tonnes up on last year. Besides, starting from last year the Basin's fleets have got the opportunity to harvest feeding and prespawning herring by trawl gear from September to April.

Cod

The cod quotas have been increased by 3300 tonnes mostly thanks to larger catch volumes in the West Bering Sea zone (+4500 tonnes), in the Karaginsk subarea (+2100 tonnes) and in the North Kuriles (+2100 tonnes). For comparison, last year the capture quotas in the West Bering Sea zone and in the Karaginsk subarea were decreased by 2400 tonnes on the previous year. In the current year 2010 the cod catches in the Petropavlovsk-Komandor subarea will decline due to 3400-tonnes smaller quotas. The same situation will be observed in the West Kamchatka subarea (-3300 tonnes). In the meantime, in the south of the west coast of Kamchatka the fishermen will be able to half cover for the catch losses on the grounds to the north of the 54th degree North where commercial cod catches are allowed at 3574 tonnes, 1200 tonnes up on last year.

Other species

As for other aquatic species, the quotas have been increased for the following species: golden king crab in the North Okhotsk subarea (+443 tonnes), snow crab opilio in the West Bering Sea zone (+964 tonnes), the North Okhotsk subarea (+1870 tonnes) and the Sea of Japan (+968 tonnes), the total increase of snow crab opilio quotas amounting to 3600 tonnes due to a 174-tonne decrease of allocations in the Karaginsk subarea. The capture quotas for blue king crab in all the subareas have been reduced by 621 tonnes, except for the East Sakhalin subarea (+51 tonnes). In the Primorye subarea red snow crab allocations have been cut down by 400 tonnes. At the same time, the quotas for snow crab bairdi have been increased by 127 tonnes due to a 387-tonne rise of allocations in the Kamchatka Kurile subarea versus decreased allowable catches in the East Kamchatka and in the Bering Sea. The total crab capture quotas for commercial operations in the Russian Far East amounted to 47,700 tonnes versus 45,300 tonnes last year.

While last year the squid quotas in the Primorye subarea were decreased by 37,000 tonnes, in the current year 2010 such quotas have been raised by 12,000 tonnes. Along with the traditional squid fishery at the eastern shores of Kamchatka and in the waters of the North Kuriles, in 2010 the commercial fishermen will be able to harvest 3100 tonnes of squid at the South Kurile Ridge.

A considerable increase has been approved for pink shrimp quotas in the West Bering Sea zone (+2700 tonnes).

In general, a large decrease (namely 84,000 tonnes) of capture quotas versus last year has been observed in the South Kuriles.