Magadan Port to profit from mandatory customs clearance of EEZ's catches

Fishermen of Magadan, Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Primorye are looking at a possible increase of landings in Magadan Port because of mandatory customs clearance of catches of whelks, crabs, cod, pollock, herring, halibut, flounder and other aquatic species harvested in the nation's EEZ and meant for further import to Japan, South Korea and China, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru) with reference to Sever DV.

Coming into force in January 2009 the new regime of seafood export and import stipulates for mandatory clearance of catches of fishing or transport vessels at one of the Russian ports where the respective surveillance bodies shall identify the cargo, check its quality and safety (in other words, they confirm legality of its capture and export and issue accompanying documents).

As per the third week of January 2009, trawlers and seiners did not call at Magadan port often. The thing was that difficult ice situation around the port would make the fishermen bear an extra cost of paying for ice breaking services, while some vessels were not even able to follow the ice-breaker due to their class.

However, the fishermen think that as soon as the sea clears from ice, the vessels will increasingly call at the port. And by that time, the port's authorities will be ready for duly and quality clearance of catches in fairly large volumes. Besides, it is a much shorter way for many fishermen to sail from the grounds to Magadan than, for instance, to Kamchatka. Moreover, the nation's Government plans to give in excess of one billion rubles in order to finance the project of the port's reconstruction to be carried out in the coming three years. The reconstruction is supposed to make the port more attractive for customs and veterinary clearance of fish catches and their transhipment if necessary.