Overview of Russian fisheries in North and Central Atlantic in April 2012

In April 2012 the fishery activity continued developing and, according to estimated figures, through the month the Russian harvest in the Atlantic Ocean amounted to 114,800 MT, 3,600 MT up on March 2012. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels amounted to ca.20%, reports www.megafishnet.com.

Bottom trawl operations in the Barents Sea were conducted by up to 119 trawlers from Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin (including 35 small boats) and two vessels from Kaliningrad. Just like in February-March 2012, the fishery was conducted mostly in the Norwegian EEZ, in the Russian zone and in the waters of Spitsbergen. In the first area the fishermen harvested 35,900 MT of bottomfish, 1,300 MT down on March, including 22,000 MT of cod (+600 MT) and 9,300 MT of haddock (-4,300 MT). The harvest in the Russian zone amounted to 13,300 MT (+1,600 MT), of which 9,400 MT of cod (+1,900 MT) and 3,100 MT (-900 MT) of haddock. In the waters of Spitsbergen the fishermen harvested 3,800 MT (-800 MT), with the bulk of the catch contributed by cod - 2,300 MT (+900 MT), while haddock contributed only 1,400 MT (-1,600 MT).

In the second half of April 2012 up to 12 vessels operating in the Norwegian waters harvested mostly saithe. The total harvest through the month amounted to 1,000 MT of saithe.

In the Russian EEZ nine small vessels coming from Murmansk continued dedicated fishery of flounder. As compared to March 2012 their catch through the period considerably increased and amounted to ca.300 MT.

Cod fishery and other bottomfish longline operations in the Barents Sea were conducted by 10 vessels coming from Murmansk. They were working nearly in all five subareas of the sea. The average catch rates were 9-14 MT per day, which was very similar to the respective result of last year.

According to provisional figures, as per 1 May 2012 remainder of the Russian cod quota amounts to 60% and haddock - the same 60%.

On 1-2 April 2012 the fishermen finished blue whiting operations in the waters of the Rockall Bank. The fishing scene was close to the UK zone on the grounds in between 5645-5710 degrees North. The fishery situation was weak, at the end of the fishery catches amounted to 5-10 MT per 8-12 hours tow. The harvest through the period under analysis amounted to 1,100 MT (-14,100 MT), slightly more than one third of all fish (37%) was harvested by Kaliningrad-based vessels. The total harvest from the beginning of the year amounted to 20,400 MT (60.9% of the Russian quota). In the same period of 2011 the catch amounted to 18,900 MT.

On 1 April 2012 the Russian fishermen started targeting blue whiting in the Faroese fishing zone. The fleet hunting for the species consisted of 24 vessels, 9 of which came from Kaliningrad. In the course of the month trawlers were operating in the south of the area on the border with the UK's EEZ. The fishery situation remained fairly good, average catches of BATM large trawlers ranged at 80-100 MT. The total Russian catch through the month in the Faroese EEZ amounted to 40,200 MT, the contribution of Kaliningrad vessels amounted to 38%. The harvest from the start of the year totaled 41,600 MT (83.3% of the Russian quota of 50,000 MT). In the same period of 2011 the harvest totaled 12,200 MT.

On 27 April 2012 Kaliningrad-based trawler-seiner TSM Osveiskoye began fishing for ocean perch in the Irminger Sea. By the end of the month it was joined by another two trawler-seiners and two BMRTIB big trawlers from Kaliningrad and one trawler-seiner from Murmansk. The fishery situation was unstable so far.

Halibut fishery in the waters of East Greenland in the course of the month was conducted by foreign-built trawler Amerlog. The fishery situation was satisfactory. The catch rates were reported at 8-12 MT per day.

In the Northwest Atlantic in the NAFO zone four trawlers coming from Murmansk continued harvesting cod and ocean perch, some catches were dominated by grenadier. In the course of the period the fishery situation was satisfactory. The total harvest amounted to 400 MT of halibut and less than 100 MT of ocean perch.

Pelagic fisheries in the Mauritanian waters were conducted by two trawlers owned by OOO Alliance Marine from Saint Petersburg and two refurbished BATM trawlers from Kaliningrad, the latter joined the first two in the second half of the month when they came to the grounds from Senegal's EEZ. In the course of the month the fleet was working all over the area. The fishery situation was weak, catches of BMRTIB big trawlers ranged from 15 to 40 MT per day with a rise to 60-100 MT in the very end of April. The harvest through the month amounted to 2,300 MT (-1,800 MT), including 1,300 MT of horse mackerel, 100 MT of mackerel and 500 MT of sardinella. The total harvest through the first four months of the year amounted to 10,800 MT. In January-April 2011 the Russian fishermen harvested 12,900 MT of fish in the Mauritanian waters.

Pelagic fisheries in the waters of Senegal were conducted by 6 trawlers coming from Murmansk and 3 from Kaliningrad. Throughout the month the fishery situation was weak. In the first half of April 2012 trawlers were working in two parts of the area: in the north in between 1230-1310 degrees North and in the south between 1430-1600 degrees North. In the second half of the month the fleet moved to the grounds between 1530-1550 degrees North. Average daily catches of RTMKS middle trawlers fluctuated from 30 to 60 MT. The total catch through the period amounted to 7,100 MT (-9,000 MT), including 3,900 MT of horse mackerel, 500 MT of mackerel and 1,200 MT of sardinella. The harvest from the beginning of the year amounted to 45,000 MT. For comparison, in January-April 2011 the harvest totaled 51,300 MT.

The horse mackerel fishery in the Namibian waters was conducted by 2 BATM big trawlers Kapitan Veselkov and Nikolay Kudryavtsev coming from Murmansk and one Kaliningrad-based BATM Leader owned by Morskoy Veter Ltd. The vessels were working in the central and northern parts of the area between 1800-2430 degrees North. The fishery situation was fairly good, the efficiency of the Kaliningrad trawler amounted to 120-140 MT per day, while Murmansk trawlers reported daily catches of 50-70 MT. The total horse mackerel catch in April 2012 amounted to 4,500 MT (-1,000 MT). The Russian harvest of horse mackerel in the Namibian waters in the first four months of 2012 amounted to 13,100 MT.

From 11 to 30 April 2012 Chio Maru 3 vessel coming from Russia's Far East Basin was conducting longline fishery on the toothfish grounds in the Southwest Atlantic beyond the Argentinean EEZ. The fishery situation was satisfactory for that area.

Russian harvest of main commercial species in North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic in January-April 2012