Good results of Murmansk fish industry in 2008

Production index in Murmansk fishery industry in 2008 amounted to 103.6% to the same period of 2007. The harvest of aquatic species, including marine mammals and other than finfish aquatic species grew by 2.3% and amounted to 563,100 tonnes, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru) with reference to IA REGNUM.

According to the Ministry of Economic Development, commodity seafood production (less canned fish) manufactured onboard the fishing vessels in 2008 rose by 0.7% as compared to the previous year. Output of chilled fish grew 1.8-fold, value-added production (frozen fish fillets) rose by 24.3% and the output of all the herring products increased by 2.3%.

In the year 2008 Murmansk-based inshore fishermen covered their cod quotas at 99% and haddock quotas at 94.4%.

Aquaculture companies continued successful operations in Murmansk and the surrounding region. In the year 2008 two companies took investment loans at 50 million RUB for construction and refurbishment of commercial aquaculture complexes and for the purchase of brood stock. The output of market-size farmed Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout increased by 53.4% as compared to 2007. In 2008 the farmers launched sales of the harvest via trade network. In order to raise the rates of aquaculture development it is necessary to build up federal legislation in the sphere of commodity fish farming regulation, product turnover, allocation of fishing sites, subsidies for purchases of fish feeds, as well as for purchases via the system of the federal leasing of stocking material.