Outlook for fisheries in the North Basin in August 2008

Taking into account considerable take-up of the cod quotas the fishing efforts should remain on the same level at about 60 ships. Due to a small decrease of the catch rates (in the second half of August 2008 the fish resources will be spread on a vast feeding area) the landings of cod and haddock may decrease by 5-10% on July 2008.

In the open part of the Norwegian Sea the mackerel quota in the beginning of August will be exhausted already, therefore practically all the fleet will take part in the herring fishery, and the harvest of herring may increase by 40-50% on July 2008. In the period of finishing feeding good conditions for the herring fishery are expected in the waters of Spitsbergen (area to the south of the Bear Island) and in the northwest part of the Norwegian EEZ (second half of August). In the first half of the month the herring fishery with the bycatch of blue whiting may be also conducted in the open part along the border of the Norwegian EEZ between 71-72 degrees North.

In the same area in the second half of August some of the vessels will start targeting ocean perch with pelagic trawls. On a small scale the fleets will resume mackerel fishery in the Faroese fishing zone with satisfactory conditions in the north part of the zone (the remainder of the Russian mackerel quota in the Faroese fishing zone amounts to less than 2000 tonnes). Due to exhaustion of the blue whiting quota in the open part of the Norwegian Sea will be possible only at the expense of quotas in the Norwegian EEZ and the Faroese fishing zone. Stable conditions for ocean perch fishery in the Irminger Sea are unlikely in August 2008. A small group of vessels can harvest the remaining quota of 10,000-11,000 tonnes on the adjacent grounds of the NAFO zone and open part of the Irminger Sea to the south of Greenland.

Stabler conditions for ocean perch fishery on 1-20 August 2008 are expected within the Greenland zone (south part). Deepsea fishery of black halibut may be resumed in the eastern sector of Greenland zone on the grounds with less difficult ground conditions between 69-70 degrees and at the 64th degree North. In the waters of the NAFO zone the Russian quota of black halibut in the subareas 3 MLNO has been practically completely exhausted, and 1-2 trawlers based in Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin may target ocean perch. The TAC in the subarea 3 M on the bank of Flemish Cap has been approved at ca.8500 tonnes, and the NAFO member countries can enjoy the Olympic system of harvesting as much fish as they can out of the total quota. In the subarea 3 O in the southwest of the Newfoundland Bank the Russian quota of ocean perch has been set at 6500 tonnes, and the fishery in the area is possible only with bottom and pelagic trawls.