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

In March 2012 the fishery activity continued developing and, according to estimated figures, through the month the Russian harvest in the Atlantic Ocean amounted to 118,400 MT, 8,900 MT up on February 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 76 trawlers from Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin and two vessels from Kaliningrad, as well as up to 34 small inshore boats based in Murmansk. Just like in February 2012, the fishery was conducted in three subareas of the sea: namely in the Norwegian EEZ, in the Russian zone and in the waters of Spitsbergen. In the first area the fishermen harvested 37,200 MT of bottomfish, 9,700 MT up on February, including 21,400 MT of cod (-1,100 MT) and 13,600 MT of haddock (+10,000 MT). The harvest in the Russian zone amounted to 11,700 MT (+2,700 MT), of which 7,500 MT of cod (+2,600 MT) and 3,800 MT (+100 MT). In the waters of Spitsbergen the fishermen harvested 4,600 MT (-3,300 MT), with the bulk of the catch contributed by haddock - 3,000 MT (-2,300 MT), while cod contributed only 1,400 MT (-500 MT).

The dedicated fishery of saithe in the Norwegian EEZ was conducted by two Murmansk-based trawlers and another 7 reported catches of mostly that species. The total saithe harvest in the period under analysis amounted to 600 MT.

In the Russian EEZ nine small vessels coming from Murmansk conducted dedicated fishery of flounder. Their catch through the period amounted to less than 100 MT of fish.

Cod fishery and other bottomfish longline operations in the Barents Sea were conducted by 9 vessels coming from Murmansk and one vessel from Kaliningrad. They were working nearly in all five subareas of the sea. The average catch rates were 9-13 MT per day.

According to provisional figures, as per 1 April 2012 remainder of the Russian cod quota amounts to 70% and haddock - 69%.

Capelin fishery in the Barents Sea was conducted by up to 25 Murmansk-based trawlers and 6 trawlers coming from Kaliningrad. The vessels were working in the inshore waters of the Norwegian and Russian EEZs. The fishery situation through the month, just like through the whole fishing season, was unstable, catches fluctuated widely from 20 to 100 MT per BATM big trawler. The number of vessels operating on the grounds was gradually decreasing. In the end of March 2012 capelin was harvested by single vessels. On 31 March 2012 the capelin fishery were finished. The total harvest through the month amounted to 19,400 MT (-16,200 MT), of which Kaliningrad-based vessels contributed ca.23%. The total catch through the season amounted to 63,300 MT (63.9% of the Russian quota of 99,000 MT). In 2011 the capelin fishery was closed on 26 March 2012 with the total harvest through the season amounting to 86,400 MT.

Blue whiting fishery in the waters of the Rockall Bank was conducted by 16 Russian vessels (7 Murmansk-based trawlers and 9 Kaliningrad-based vessels). They were working on the grounds in between the 54-57 degrees North 16-18 degrees West gradually following the spawned schools first northwards and then northeastwards towards the UK zone. Until the beginning of the closing ten days of March 2012 the fishery situation was good, efficiency of BATM big trawlers was reported at 90-120 MT per day on the average. Then, the situation dramatically dwindled due to rough weather. After the storms the fishery situation did not improve, the average daily catches of trawlers of the same class mostly did not exceed 20-40 MT. The total harvest in March 2012 amounted to 15,200 MT (+11,200 MT), of which nearly one half (54%) was harvested by Kaliningrad-based vessels. The total catch from the beginning of the year amounted to 19,300 MT (57.6% of the Russian quota of 33,500 MT). In 2011 the fishery began only from 1 March and the total harvest of blue whiting through the month amounted to 15,000 MT.

In the Northwest Atlantic in the NAFO zone three trawlers coming from Murmansk were mostly targeting cod and ocean perch, some catches were dominated by grenadier. The fishery situation was unstable. The total harvest amounted to 200 MT of halibut and 500 MT of ocean perch.

Pelagic fisheries in the Mauritanian waters were conducted by three trawlers of OOO Alliance Marine from Saint Petersburg. In the course of the month they were working all over the area. The fishery situation was unstable, catches of BMRTIB big trawlers ranged from 20 to 40 MT per day, sporadically rising to 60-80 MT. The harvest through the month amounted to 4,100 MT (+700 MT), including 2,600 MT of horse mackerel, 600 MT of mackerel and 400 MT of sardinella. The total harvest through the first two months of the year amounted to 8,500 MT. In January-March 2011 the Russian fishermen harvested 7,800 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. They were working in two parts of the area: in the north in between 1220-1300 degrees North and in the south between 1440-1615 degrees North. The fishery situation was generally satisfactory, average daily catches of RTMKS middle trawlers fluctuated from 50 to 120 MT, with an improvement in the middle of the month and in the closing ten days of the month. The total catch through the period amounted to 16,100 MT (+5,100 MT), including 9,800 MT of horse mackerel, 2,200 MT of mackerel and 2,000 MT of sardinella. The harvest from the beginning of the year amounted to 36,900 MT. For comparison, in January-March 2011 the harvest totaled 37,700 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 fishery situation was fairly good, the efficiency of the Kaliningrad trawler amounted to 140-160 MT per day, while Murmansk trawlers reported daily catches of 50-60 MT. Better results of Kaliningrad-based fishermen could be explained by vessel's better technical condition. The total horse mackerel catch in March 2012 amounted to 5,500 MT (+3,000 MT). The Russian harvest of horse mackerel in the Namibian waters in the first three months of 2012 amounted to 8,600 MT.

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