Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency approving finfish and shellfish TACs 2012 in nation's Far East Basin

Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency has approved finfish and shellfish TACs 2012 in the nation's Far East Basin, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/.

More specifically, in 2012 the TACs have been set for 10 finfish species and 11 shellfish species. Finfish TACs cover such species as herring, cod, pollock, wachna cod, flounder, halibut, ocean perch, thornyhead, Atka mackerel and grenadier, shellfish - 6 crab species, 3 shrimp species, squid and whelks.

At the same time, the Agency has delisted from TAC-regulated species such aquatic resources as saury, anchovy, sculpins, skates, flounders in the North Okhotsk subarea as well as herring in the West Kamchatka subarea.

TACs for several species targeted mostly by Magadan-based fishermen have been reduced as compared to 2011. In particular, pollock quotas have been cut down by 21,000 MT in the North Okhotsk subarea and by 21,000 MT in the West Bering Sea zone. TAC of Pacific herring in the North Okhotsk subarea has been decreased by 33,000 MT. Scientists of MagadanNIRO fishery research institute explain the declines with natural fall of the stock's abundance.

TACs of grenadier, flounder, halibut, wachna cod, etc. have been left approximately on a par with the previous year.

TACs of whelks and snow crab in the North Okhotsk subarea have also been reduced (by 600 MT for whelks). In 2007 the whelks harvest amounted to 7,500 MT, in 2008 catches did not exceed 5,000 MT and every year the volumes continued to decrease. The TAC decline has therefore been logical.

Under the Agency's decision commercial quotas 2012 for crab species in the Sea of Okhotsk have been cut down by ca.20% and whelks - by 25%.