Overview of Russian fisheries in North and Central Atlantic in July 2011

According to estimated figures, in July 2011 the Russian harvest in the Atlantic Ocean and Southeast Pacific increased by 21,100 MT to 109,800 MT. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels also rose to a little more than 26%, according to the Russian Fish Insider Report published by http://www.megafishnet.com/.

Trawl bottomfish operations in the Barents Sea in July 2011 were conducted by 66 trawlers and 38 small inshore boats coming from Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin. Just like in the previous month the largest catch of 28,900 MT (-400 MT) was recorded in Spitsbergen, the figure including cod catches of 18,800 MT (-700 MT) and haddock - 9,400 MT (+400 MT). In the course of the month the fishery activity in the Russian waters continued declining. There the fleets harvested 9,400 MT of fish (-2,200 MT) with shares of cod and haddock being approximately equal at 4,500 MT and 4,100 MT correspondingly. Besides, in the Russian EEZ a group of 11 trawlers and 20 small boats was conducting dedicated fishery of plaice. Their harvest amounted to 1,400 MT, of which 84% were contributed by plaice. In the Norwegian EEZ the fishermen mostly targeted saithe with the harvest reported at 1,800 MT (-1,400 MT), including 1,000 MT of saithe, 300 MT of cod and 400 MT of haddock.

Longline ground fishery of sea cats and cod in the Barents Sea was conducted by 10 ships (8 from Murmansk and 2 from Kaliningrad). They were mostly operating in the waters of Spitsbergen, at a lesser extent in the Norwegian EEZ and in the Grey zone. The average daily catches for all the fishing areas were stable and remained on a par with the previous month, namely at ca.12 MT.

According to provisional figures, the remainder of the Russian quotas amounted to 33% for cod and 31% for haddock.

The herring fishery in the open part of the Norwegian Sea in the closing five days of July 2011 was conducted by TSM Persey-4 owned by ZAO NPP Vega. The vessel was operating along the border of Spitsbergen area. Daily catches amounted to 48 MT on the average. Throughout July 2011 the ship harvested 300 MT of herring. From the beginning of the year the Russian fishermen harvested to 24,900 MT of herring equal to 17.0% of the nation's quota of 146,300 MT. In the same period of 2010 the Russian fleets harvested 31,800 MT of herring.

The blue whiting fishery in the open part of the Norwegian Sea in July 2011 was conducted by 8 vessels coming from Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin, most of the vessels switched to mackerel fishery and by the end of July 2011 one RTMS Nikolai Afanasiev kept targeting blue whiting on the grounds. The fishery conditions in the course of the period under analysis were unstable and weak with the average daily rates reported at 41 tonnes per BATM large trawler. The bycatch of other fish on the blue whiting grounds amounted to ca.2%. The blue whiting catch amounted to 3,400 MT. The total catch in the NEAFC waters since the beginning of the year amounted to 24,600 MT of blue whiting. For comparison, in January-July 2010 the Russian fishermen harvested 37,700 MT of blue whiting.

In July 2011 the fleet hunting for mackerel in the open waters of the Norwegian Sea increased to 37 ships (25 trawlers coming from Murmansk and 12 trawlers from Kaliningrad). In the first half of the month the vessels concentrated in the central part of the area, while in the second half of July 2011 they spread all over the area. Catches fluctuated greatly with the daily rates of BATM large trawlers ranging from 20 to 90 MT (fairly good average of 72 MT). The bycatch of other species on the mackerel grounds was as low as below 2%. The total harvest in the open waters of the Norwegian Sea in July 2011 amounted to 37,000 MT of mackerel. Kaliningrad-based vessel harvested a little more than 47%. The total harvest from January to July 2011 amounted to 39,100 MT of mackerel (79.4% of the Russian quota of 49,200 MT). In the same period of 2010 the Russian fishermen harvested 31,300 MT of mackerel.

In the waters of the Faroese Islands active fishery of mackerel resumed on 14 July 2011 after a break. The fishing efforts in the area amounted to 12 trawlers, of which 9 came from Murmansk and 3 from Kaliningrad. The fishing operations were conducted mostly in the northwest at the border of the Icelandic zone. The fishery situation was satisfactory, the efficiency of BMRTIB large trawlers amounted to 30-50 MT per day, 41 MT on the average. The harvest through July 2011 amounted to 2,600 MT of mackerel (which accounted for 100% of catches). The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels amounted to 17%. The total mackerel catch in the waters of the Faroese Islands for the first seven months of the year 2011 amounted to 9,600 MT (37.8% of the Russian quota of 25,500 MT). For comparison, in the same period of 2010 the Russian fishermen harvested 4,500 MT of mackerel.

The fishery of ocean perch Sebastes mentella in the open part of the Irminger Sea was conducted by 15 trawlers (7 from Murmansk and 8 from Kaliningrad). The trawlers were operating along the border of East Greenland. The fishery conditions dwindled in the course of July 2011 with the average catches of TSM middle trawlers declining from 15-20 MT in the beginning of the month to 2-5 MT by the end of the month. The total catch through July 2011 amounted to 3,000 MT of which ca.60% were contributed by Kaliningrad-based vessels. The harvest from January 2011 totaled 21,900 MT (74.1% of the Russian quota of 29,500 MT). The respective result for 2010 was 22,700 MT.

The halibut fishery in the water of East Greenland was conducted by one ship coming from Murmansk and one from Kaliningrad. Murmansk-based trawler showed better results of 7 MT per day versus 3 MT harvested by its Kaliningrad-based colleague.

In the Northwest Atlantic in the NAFO zone one Murmansk-based trawler was targeting illex squid almost throughout July 2011 (11 MT per day on the average) and in the end of the month the fishermen switched over to ocean perch (15 MT per day on the average).

On 26 July 2011 Murmansk-based trawler Severnaya Zemlya owned by OOO Zakharov-Vaerina began fishery of illex squid in the Canadian EEZ. The total harvest from the beginning of the year amounted to 12 MT (2.1 MT per day on the average), including 54% of illex squid, 40% of hake and 6% of other species.

The fishery in the Moroccan EEZ took off on 15 July 2011 and by the end of the month there were 9 Russian trawlers (5 from Murmansk, 3 from Kaliningrad and 1 from Saint Petersburg) operating in the area. The trawlers worked in the south of the EEZ from the Mauritanian border to 2345 degree North. The fishery conditions were mostly satisfactory. The bulk of the harvest was contributed by mackerel and horse mackerel. The average daily catch of refurbished RTMKS trawlers was equal to 93 MT. Through July 2011 the Russian fishermen harvested 7,400 MT of fish, including 5,300 MT of horse mackerel and 1,500 MT of mackerel. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels in the total harvest amounted to 31%. From the beginning of the year 2011 the Russian harvest in the Moroccan waters amounted to 7,400 MT, up from 5,600 MT in the same period of 2010.

In July 2011 pelagic fisheries in the Mauritanian EEZ were conducted by 12 Russian trawlers (7 from Murmansk, 2 from Kaliningrad and 3 from Saint Petersburg). In the end of July 2011 just 2-3 Russian vessels stayed in the area. The fleet was working all over the area gradually moving towards the border with the Moroccan EEZ. During the whole month the fishery situation was difficult and unsatisfactory, the average daily catches per refurbished RTMKS trawler fluctuated from 30 to 55 MT, the average making 46 MT. Catches were dominated by sardinella. The total harvest though July 2011 amounted to 9,500 MT, including 4,200 MT of sardinella, 3,300 MT of horse mackerel and 300 MT of mackerel. Kaliningrad-based vessels contributed 47% to the harvest. The total Russian catch in the Mauritanian EEZ from January to July 2011 amounted to 47,500 MT (79,800 MT in the same period of 2010).

Toothfish operations on the grounds in the Argentinean subarea, beyond the economic zone, were conducted by two vessels coming from Russia's Far East Basin. The fishery situation remained stable and satisfactory. The average daily catch amounted to 70 MT on the average. The harvest included 28 MT of toothfish. The Russian catch from the beginning of the year amounted to 112 MT.

Horse mackerel operations in the southeast part of the Pacific Ocean were continued by 2 Kaliningrad-based BATM large trawlers. The fishery situation was unstable with satisfactory catches of up to 90-120 MT in the beginning and in the end of the month and weak catches of 20-40 MT in the middle of the month. The average catch rates amounted to 65 MT. The harvest through July 2011 amounted to 1,800 MT and the catch from the beginning of the year totaled 7,000 MT.

Russian harvest of main commercial species in North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic in January-July 2011