Overview of fishery in the Russian Far East in September 2006

September harvest of the Russian fleets operating in the country’s Far East Basin was contributed by three main expeditions: Alaska Pollock in the Bering Sea, saury and salmon in the waters of South Kuriles and squid in the water of the North Kuriles. Those species accounted for 81% of the Basin’s total harvest.

The below table gives catches of main fishing species as compared to the corresponding period last year (provisional figures).

As compared to last year the monthly harvest increased by 25,000 metric tons and the total harvest through three quarter exceeded the least year result by 46,000 metric tons.

Alaska pollock

Alaska pollock fishery was conducted in the same areas as in August 2006. the fishery was conducted by 26 large trawlers and 18 middle ships and by the end of the month the group of large trawlers grew by 30 ships. The number of middle trawlers dropped by 7 ships. The total catch through the month amounted to 62,000 metric tons, the average size of harvested pollock was within 42-44 cm and 560-650 grams. Daily catch per ship amounted to 40-70 metric tons and 18-25 tonnes per tow depending on the vessel type.

Saury

The fishermen reported a success on the saury grounds. The fleet’s catch through September 2006 exceeded that of September 2005 by 10,000 tonnes. In the course of the month the number of fishing vessels displayed a double increase. Shortage of fishing and processing capacities prevented the catch from any further growth. Fishing vessels had to queue in order to get a goahead for fishing. With a number of motherships coming to the grounds, by the end of the month the expedition grew to 45 fishing ships and 19 motherships processing the raw fish at sea. The fishery conditions on the saury grounds were satisfactory through the whole September and the average size of harvested saury amounted to 29 cm with the share of small fish not exceeding 4-6%. Catches per trap amounted to 6.4-12.5 tonnes and each harvester reported a daily catch of 22 tonnes on the average.

Salmon

In the middle of the first ten days of the month the fishermen removed seines in the waters of East Sakhalin as pink salmon ceased running into the rivers of Sakhalin. At the same time, the seines set in the islands of Iturup and Kunashir kept on working with the fishermen reporting a daily harvest of up to 2000 tonnes of pinks. The spawning runs of pinks ceased already by the end of the second ten days of the month. The fishermen were waiting for runs of autumn chum salmon to the above islands and the fish did come to the grounds in the last ten days of September. One ship targeting saury was sent to harvest salmon. According to provisional figures, salmon catches in the waters of Sakhalin amounted to ca.26,000 tonnes.

Squid

Fishermen had a success on the squid grounds in the North Kuriles and in the Bering Sea. Daily catches per ship in the Kurile waters amounted to 28.6 tonnes per ship on the average with the largest rates reported at 59.6 tonnes by Pyotr Ilyin owned by OAO Akros (plc). The fishing efforts amounted to 44 ships altogether harvesting 17,300 metric tons. The largest harvest of 1286 tonnes through the month was reported by RTM Kalinovo owned by OAO NBAMR (plc).

On the squid grounds in the Bering Sea squid fishery was conducted mainly by Kamchatka-based ships. The average daily catch per ship was higher that in the Kuriles and amounted to 31 tonnes per ship. A group of 11 vessels harvested 2600 tonnes of squid in 83 days at sea altogether.

Cod, halibut and grenadier

In the Karaginsk subarea and in the West Bering Sea zone 15 longliners kept on harvesting cod, halibut and grenadier with the areas’ total catch through the month amounting to 1200 tonnes.

Off West Kamchatka 11 longliners were targeting the above stocks with catches containing 91-99% of halibut. On the same grounds halibuts were harvested by one bottom netter reporting a total catch through the month of 58 tonnes.

More than 40 trawlers and Danish seiners were fishing mixed concentrations of cod, flounder, Alaska pollock, wachna cod in the Bering Sea and at the shores of East Kamchatka and their catches contained 50-60% of wachna cod. The group’s monthly harvest amounted to more than 6000 tonnes. Along the coast of West Kamchatka the number of vessels targeting bottomfish species for human consumption dropped from 35 to 11, small boats left the grounds to stay idle in the period between the fishing seasons. Through the month the group harvested 4000 tonnes of bottomfish species.

Crabs

In the course of the month the fleet targeting crabs (blue king crab and snow crab bairdi) in the Bering Sea, at the shores of East Kamchatka and in the Sea of Okhotsk grew in number. Through the month the fleet harvested 620 tonnes of snow crab opilio, 280 tonnes of snow crab bairdi, 380 tonnes of triangle tanner crab, 220 tonnes of blue king crab and 200 tonnes of red king crab (in the Ayan area).

Shrimps

The main grounds for pink salmon fishery were located in the North Okhotsk subarea where the Russian fishermen harvested 250 tonnes of the species. The results of the fleet’s operation in September 2006 were worse as compared to the same month last year. More specifically, the daily rates per ship dropped from 1.34 tonnes last September to ca.1.1 tonnes in September current.

Whelks

In the Sea of Okhotsk whelks were targeted by 13 ships. The vessels’ operations in the North Okhotsk subarea in September dwindled as compared to August 2006 as well as to September 2005. More specifically, the daily catch rates per ship in September current amounted to 4.4 tonnes down from 8,9 tonnes in August 2006 and 7.5 tonnes in September 2005.