Outlook for fisheries in the North Basin in November 2008

In November 2008 the conditions for bottomfish operations in the Barents Sea are expected to remain on a par with the previous month, fishery sources in Murmansk told www.fishnet-russia.com (https://www.fishnet.ru/).

Taking into account considerable take-up of the cod quotas, Murmansk-based shipowners are planning to leave no more than 40 ships on the grounds, with the bulk of the fleet to be sent to the sea's northwest to the waters of Spitsbergen (onto the grounds off the islands of Hope, Bear and Western Spitsbergen). Satisfactory conditions will also remain within the Russian EEZ in the southeast of the Barents Sea.

On the red king crab grounds no considerable changes are forecasted, as the shipowners will do all their best to raise catches (in 2007 the red king crab quota in the Russian EEZ amounted to less than 90%).

Good fishery conditions in November 2008 are expected on the grounds of polar cod concentrations in the northeast of the Barents Sea. However, due to high fuel costs and the current market situation, most of the shipowners will hardly dare send their ships to the polar cod grounds. According to the preliminary estimates, no more than 5 vessels will operate on the grounds along the northeast coast of the New Land.

In the Norwegian Sea the herring fishery will remain brisk. In the first half of November 2008 the bulk of concentrations of herring completing its feeding cycle will be spread at a large distance off Lofoten (up to 100-150 miles to the northwest of the islands). In the third ten days of the month herring must move closer to the coast. As the quotas will be progressing, the fishing efforts on the grounds will be gradually decreasing. In the second half of November 2008 less than 10 ships are expected to remain on the grounds, though the catch rates will be limited mostly by difficult weather conditions. By the end of November 2008 the bulk of the nation's quota may be covered. In the third ten days of November 2008 the blue whiting fishery in the fishing zone of the Faeroese islands is expected to start with the fishery success to depend mostly on weather conditions.