Russia Fishery Head boosted to Position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture
Russia's Fishery head Andrei Krainy has been nominated for approval by PM Medvedev to a higher position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture - Chief of Federal Fisheries Agency, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/.
A source in the Agency told MEGAFISHNET that Krainy has already been confirmed in new position but no official release has been available from the government as per 20 July.
The nomination was carried out by his immediate boss Minister of Agriculture Nickolai Fyodorov after the agency's transfer from standalone status under the umbrella of the Ministry of Agriculture.
This has ended a period of uncertainty when various lobby groups had been fighting to move their man to technically vacant position of Fishery Head after the merger.
While the Federal Fisheries Agency will continue to perform government services for fisheries, the Ministry of Agriculture has also created a department for regulation of food market, fisheries, food and processing industries to work out state policy and draft regulatory norms for all industries producing food including the fisheries sector.
So far it is not clear what authority Mr Krainy will have over this department.
Also pursuant to the transfer of the Agency to the Ministry of Agriculture, a new government commission is being set up as of 19 July current combining the issues of agro-industrial and fishery complexes.
Earlier the fishery head welcomed the transfer of the Agency to the Ministry of Agriculture on the assumption that, apart from fisheries, the broader structure will open up possibilities to oversee also fish processing and fish market.
Background
The current fishery head was appointed to the position about 5 years ago in May 2007 and he claims credit for industry's stability, rising catch and such achievements as 10 year fishing quota shares as well as assignment of salmon fishing sites for 20 years in the Russian Far East.
Andrei Krainy (born in 1958) began his career as a war correspondent taking his first degree in war journalism in 1979. His second degree with excellence was taken in municipal and state management in 2004.
After 15 years of journalism back in 1994 Andrei Krainy worked for 2 years as General Director of a Russian-Swiss SOKOL joint-venture to move to CEO of Agroprodsnab Corporation.
From 1998-2003 he held office of Board of Directors Chairman of Kaliningrad-based tin manufacturing combine plc as well as the same office in the Baltic Fish Cannery.
His next post was to run FGUP Kaliningrad Marine Fish Port, the position to be followed by government service as Russian fishery head.