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

In June 2012 the Russian harvest in the Atlantic Ocean amounted to 86,700 MT, 6,600 MT up on the previous month 2012. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels amounted to ca.24%, reports www.megafishnet.com.

The bottom trawl fishery of cod and haddock in the Barents Sea was conducted by up to 61 middle trawlers and 23 small inshore boats coming from Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin. The biggest catches in June 2012 was recorded in the waters of Spitsbergen - 27,300 MT (+7,300 MT as compared to May 2012), including 16,900 MT of cod (+8,900 MT) and 10,100 MT of haddock (-1,600 MT). In the Russian EEZ the total catch was reported at 11,800 MT (-1,500 MT on the previous month), of which 7,800 MT of cod (-1,400 MT) and 3,300 MT of haddock (-500 MT). In the Norwegian EEZ the Russian fishermen harvested ca.900 MT of fish (-2,700 MT on May 2012), including 500 MT of cod (-1,100 MT) and 300 MT of haddock (-1,400 MT).

Several middle trawlers based in Murmansk were operating in the Norwegian EEZ and harvested mostly sardine. Their harvest through June 2012 amounted to 300 MT, the share of saithe amounted to ca.90% (296 MT).

Dedicated plaice fishery in the inshore waters of the Russian EEZ in the Barents Sea was conducted by up to 18 Murmansk-based vessels. In June 2012 they harvested more than 400 MT of plaice (100 MT up on May 2012).

Eleven longliners (one from Kaliningrad and ten from Murmansk) were conducting bottom fishery in all the subareas of the Barents Sea, except for the open part. Main fishing grounds were concentrated in the waters of Spitsbergen (harvest of more than 1,100 MT), catches in other subareas were much smaller. The total harvest of Russian lopngliners through the month amounted to 2,200 MT. Their catch rates in June 2012 remained on a par with the previous month - namely at ca.9-15 MT per day.

According to provisional figures, the remainder of the Russian quota as per 1 July 2012 amounted to 45% of cod and 38% of haddock.

Blue whiting fishery in the open part of the Norwegian Sea was conducted by 9 Russian trawlers (8 from Murmansk and one from Kaliningrad). The fishery situation was generally good, only in the end of the month catches declined greatly, catches of BATM big trawlers declined from 80-120 MT to 30-50 MT. The total harvest through the period under analysis amounted to 8,500 MT of blue whiting. About 13% of the harvest was contributed by Kaliningrad-based vessel. The total catch from the beginning of the year in the open waters of the Norwegian Sea amounted to 10,700 MT. The remainder of the Russian quota of blue whiting in the NEAFC waters amounted to ca.4% of the quota of 33,500 MT.

On 21 June 2012 mackerel fishery in the international waters of the Norwegian Sea was started by two Kaliningrad-based trawlers, another 6 vessels joined them later. Daily catches of BATM big trawlers fluctuated widely at 30-100 MT. The bycatch contained blue whiting and herring. The total harvest through June 2012 amounted to 4,400 MT of mackerel (7.2% of the Russian quota of 62,100 MT). In the same period of 2011 the harvest amounted to 2,100 MT.

On the blue whiting grounds in the Faroese waters three Russian trawlers were operating (two from Murmansk and one from Kaliningrad). Their harvest through June 2012 amounted to 500 MT of blue whiting. On 12 June 2012 the blue whiting fishery in the Faroese waters was suspended, and the vessels moved to the international waters of the Norwegian Sea. From the beginning of the year the Russian fishermen covered ca.91% of the quota of 33,500 MT.

Ocean perch fishery in the Sea of Irminger was conducted by 19 Russian trawlers (11 from Murmansk and 8 from Kaliningrad). The fishery situation was characterized by declining fishery efficiency through June 2012. The average daily catches of TSM trawlers were recorded at 8-15 MT, much down on May 2012. Through the period under analysis the catch amounted to 4,500 MT of ocean perch (-6,400 MT), of which 44% were contributed by Kaliningrad-based vessels. The total harvest from the fishery start amounted to 15,600 MT (53% of the Russian quota of 29,500 MT). For comparison, in the same period of 2011 the harvest amounted to 18,900 MT>

The halibut fishery in the waters of East Greenland was continued by one foreign-built trawler Amerlog. Her efficiency in the course of the month remained stable at 8-14 MT per day on the average. On 23 June 2012 the vessel left for landing.

In the Northwest Atlantic in the waters of the NAFO zone two Murmansk-based trawlers were targeting ocean perch, one of them periodically switched to halibut operations. The average catch rates on the ocean perch grounds dramatically fluctuated from 4 to 30 MT in the beginning of the month and up to 15-25 MT in the end of June 2012. The catch rates of the halibut grounds amounted to 3-4 MT.

TSM trawler Oma based in Murmansk targeted horse mackerel and mackerel in the Canarian waters from 7 to 20 June 2012. Her average catch rates amounted to 20-40 MT, total catch amounted to 400 MT, including nearly 90% of horse mackerel and 8% of mackerel.

Pelagic fisheries in the waters of Mauritatia were conducted by 13 Russian trawlers (6 from Murmansk, 3 from Kaliningrad and 4 from Saint Petersburg). The fleet was working mostly in the north of the area. The fishery situation was satisfactory, catches of RTMKSm supertrawlers fluctuated from 60 to 90 MT per day. The total harvest through June 2012 amounted to 17,800 MT (+7,300 MT), including 7,100 MT of horse mackerel, 6,500 MT of mackerel and 2,500 MT of sardinella. From the beginning of the year the Russian harvest in the Mauritanian waters amounted to 39,100 MT, while in the same period of 2011 it was 28,100 MT.

Russian vessels operating in the Namibian waters conducted horse mackerel fishery only in the first half of June 2012. The Russian fleet consisted of two vessels - one BATM big trawler from Murmansk and one BATM trawler from Kaliningrad. Their total catch through June amounted to 2,600 MT. The Russian harvest in the waters of Namibia through the first six months of 2012 amounted to 20,100 MT.

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