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

According to estimated figures, in October 2011 the Russian harvest in the Atlantic Ocean and Southeast Pacific decreased by 11,400 MT to 107,000 MT. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels amounted to 35%, reports www.megafishnet.com.

Bottom trawl operations in the Barents Sea were conducted by up to 45 trawlers (44 of which came from Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin and one vessel from Kaliningrad) and 30 small inshore boats based in Murmansk. The fishery was conducted mostly on the grounds in Spitsbergen and in the Russian EEZ, single catches were recorded in the Norwegian EEZ and in the Grey zone.

The largest catch, just like in the previous months, was received in the waters of Spitsbergen, it amounted to 23,000 MT (+700 MT), including 20,500 MT of cod (+4,200 MT) and 2,300 MT of haddock (-3,500 MT). In the Russian EEZ, as compared to September 2011, the harvest rose by 800 MT to 7,200 MT. Cod catches amounted to 4,400 MT (+900 MT) and haddock catches totaled 2,300 MT (-100 MT). Besides, in the Russian EEZ a group of 8 trawlers and 12 small boats continued dedicated fishery of plaice, through October 2011 they harvested 1,000 MT (-300 MT), including 78% of plaice.

Longline operations on mixed bottomfish grounds (cod, sea cat and haddock) in the Barents Sea were conducted by 9 Russian vessels (7 from Murmansk and 2 from Kaliningrad). The vessels were fishing in the Russian EEZ, the Grey zone, Spitsbergen and in the loophole. The average daily catches were reported at 11 MT, 12 MT, 9 MT and 11 MT correspondingly. The average catch for all the areas amounted to 11 MT per vessel thus displaying a decrease on September 2011.

According to provisional figures, the remainder of the Russian quotas amounted to 11% for cod and 12% for haddock.

The halibut fishery in the Barents Sea was conducted by 5 Murmansk-based trawlers. The fishery situation in the course of the month was stable and fairly good, the average daily catch amounting to ca.28 MT.

Crab fishery in the Barents Sea was conducted by 14 Murmansk-based vessels. The fishery conditions dramatically dwindled and on 17 October 2011 the crab fishery was closed.

The sea scallop fishery in the Barents Sea was conducted by one foreign-built trawler based in Murmansk. Her efficiency amounted to 24 MT per day, which should be taken as a fairly good result.

On 2 September 2011 Nikolay Repnikov trawler owned by OAO Murmansky Gubernsky Flot (plc) began polar cod fishery in the Russian EEZ at the northwest coast of the New Land Island. By the end of the month there were up to 12 Murmansk-based ships operating in the area. In the beginning of October 2011 the fishery situation was unstable, but already starting from the middle of the month it grew normal. The average daily catch of BATM big trawlers amounted to 118 MT. The total catch through the period under analysis is equal to 12,575 MT. The total harvest from the beginning of the year amounted to 12,600 MT. During the same period of 2010 the harvest amounted to 17,400 MT.

The herring fishery in the course of the month was conducted by 29 trawlers (16 from Murmansk and 12 from Kaliningrad). The vessels were operating mostly in two areas: first - at the border of Norwegian EEZ and Spitsbergen, second - loophole of the Norwegian Sea and Yan-Mayen zone. They sometimes moved from one area to another. The fishery situation was generally good, catches of BATM big trawlers amounted to ca.100 MT per day. The total harvest in October 2011 in all the areas amounted to 36,800 MT (-16,700 MT) of herring, of which 51% were contributed by Kaliningrad fishermen. The total harvest from the beginning of the year amounted to 131,000 MT of herring (89.6% out of the Russian quota of 146,300 MT). In the same period of 2010 the harvest amounted to 167,400 MT.

Four trawlers coming from Murmansk conducted halibut fishery in the waters of East and West Greenland. In the waters of West Greenland catches were slightly higher than in East Greenland - namely 8 MT versus 6 MT per day.

The Russian fleet targeting pelagic fish in the Moroccan EEZ rose in number with two newcomers, thus 12 vessels (6 trawlers from Murmansk, 4 trawlers from Kaliningrad and 2 from Saint-Petersburg) were actually fishing on the above grounds. They were operating on a vast area from the 24th degree North to the border with the Mauritanian EEZ. The fishery conditions stayed satisfactory in general. The average daily catch of refurbished RTMKS super trawlers amounted to ca.100 MT. Catches of Murmansk-based vessels mostly contained sardine and mackerel, while Kaliningrad fishermen harvested mostly mackerel and horse mackerel. Through the period under analysis the harvest amounted to 18,700 MT (-2,500 MT), including 3,400 MT of horse mackerel, 7,400 MT of mackerel, 7,300 MT of sardine and 300 MT of sardinella. Contribution of Kaliningrad-based fishermen remained at 31%. The total catch from the beginning of the year in the Moroccan EEZ amounted to 68,000 MT (in respective result in 2010 amounted to 61,600 MT).

In October 2011 the fishery in the Mauritanian EEZ was conducted by two Russian trawlers coming from Saint Petersburg. Starting from mid-October 2011 one of the trawlers moved to the Moroccan EEZ. The vessels were operating on the grounds between 18-20th degrees North. The fishery situation was difficult with local periods of higher fishery efficiency from 20-40 MT to 100-120 MT per day (60 MT on the average). The total catch in the period under analysis amounted to 2,000 MT (-1,000 MT), including 1,400 MT of sardinella, 400 MT of horse mackerel, 100 MT of mackerel. From the beginning of the year the harvest in the Mauritanian waters totaled 47,600 MT (down from 79,900 MT in the same period of 2010).

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