Baltic Sea catch and quota progress in May 2021

Russian fleets were engaged in Baltic Sea pelagiс fishery as well as bottom trawl fishery for cod and haddock in April 2021, reports Megafishnet.com.

According to Fishnet.ru, the Russian fishing efforts in the southeastern part of the Baltic Sea declined from 20 in early May to 12 in the end of the month. The fishery situation was unstable throughout the month.

Total pelagic fish catch of the month amounted to 3,900 tonnes (-2,300 tonnes YOY). The main commercial species was sprat accounting for 89% of the total catch, the remaining share was made up by herring (11%). There was also a small bycatch of cod.

In the same area up to 20 small vessels coming from Kaliningrad conducted bottom trawl fishery. The fishery situation was weak. The total catch through the month amounted to 237 tonnes (+192 tonnes), of which cod accounted for 95% and flounder – 5%.

Baltic herring

In the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea the herring fishery was nearly suspended. Up to 7 small inshore boats participated in the fishery and by the end of May the fishing efforts declined to 4. As normal for the season, the fishing situation worsened, it was unstable and weak. The catch through the month totalled ca.1,100 tonnes (-2,100 tonnes), of which herring contributed 99% and the bycatch of sprat – 1%.

From the beginning of the year Russia’s harvest in the southeast of the Baltic Sea and in the Gulf of Finland amounted to 50,200 tonnes of small herrings, including 35,100 tonnes of sprat and 15,100 tonnes of herring. For comparison, during the same period of 2020 the results were 51,200 tonnes, 36,600 tonnes of sprat and 14,600 tonnes of herring.

BALTIC SEA: Dynamics of Russian catches and quota progress in January-May 2020-2021

Source of catch data: Fishnet.ru

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