Russia's Pollock catch lagging behind, wild salmon harvest ahead of basis 2010 season
As per mid-July the catch in the Russian Far East Fisheries Basin has developed a lag on the same period last year, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ based on figures of Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency as per 17 July current.
More specifically, the overall harvest in the Basin has reached 1.471 million tonnes to decline by 63 000 metric tons year-on-year.
Meanwhile the pollock catch has reached 1.863 million tons or 4900 tonnes less than during the same period in 2011.
Salmon
As per 11 July (latest available figures) the Salmon catch in the Russian Far East has increased by 61.6% on the same period of the basis even year of 2010. The total inshore and inland catch amounted to 28 000 tonnes. The catch in the EEZ reached some 15 000 tonnes.
However, according to survey data, the fish size is a bit smaller in the Kurile waters: in 2008 - 1.2 kg, in 2010 - 1.1 kg, in 2012 - 0.92 kg.
The season started with good runs to Khabarovsk Coast, Primorye and West Sakhalin, later East Kamchatka Fisheries got underway. In the second half of July salmon runs began at East Sakhalin and in the last five days of July the fishery will peak at West Kamchatka - the most important area of the year.
Marketwise, the situation is not quite clear because domestically pink salmon inventory is still high as well as the prices for salmon with extended storage life. The prices for new season catch are still higher and decrease very slowly on the premise of reduced quota this year (increases are being made on the original allocation however). The traders are extremely cautious to buy large quantities for speculation because of losses made on high input prices for two years running. On the other hand, demand from China has weakened and that gives hope prices will be more realistic later in the season.
The market players are also complaining of increased railway charges in summer but this is the price policy of the Russian Railways who will reduce charges when demand for transport goes down and vice versa.