Overview of Russian fisheries in nation's Far East in October 2010

October 8, 2010 10:19

October 2010 is forecasted to feature active storms in the Bering Sea, in the central part of the Sea of Okhotsk and in the Kurile waters, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ with reference to fishery sources in Vladivostok.

The scientists forecast up to 10-13 stormy days at the East Kamchatka, in the southwest shelf of Kamchatka and in the North Kuriles. Up to 8 stormy days with the winds of more than 12 meters per second are expected at the Koryak coast and up to 6 stormy are expected in the north of the Sea of Okhotsk, which will evidently tell on the fishery results in the areas.

Pollock will remain the main commercial species in the seas of the Russian Far East. In October 2010 due to the development of meteorological and hydrological processes in the area larger mature pollock will be migrating from the north of the Bering Sea beyond the Russian waters. Catches of the Russian fishermen will contain gradually rising share of small size fish. The average daily catches of pollock in the waters of the Koryak depths breaks will be at the level of 40-60 tonnes for large vessels, according to the scientific forecasts.

The pollock fishery in the Bering Sea will be added up with the operations in the Sea of Okhotsk, where the ban for dedicated fishery ends on 15 October 2010. The Basin's scientists forecast that October catches of pollock exclude a considerable bycatch of herring. In the ninth month of the year 2010 the bulk of feeding herring will be still migrating to the inshore zone therefore there is a possibility to avoid its uncontrolled high bycatch. The fishery operations are expected to be efficient in the Ionno-Kashevarov and Priutaisk areas.

The fishery expedition on the grounds of feeding herring in the Sea of Okhotsk will be fairly large. According to the scientists, the fishery will peak from the end of October 2010. The catch rates in the month are expected at 15 tonnes per tow per middle trawler and 28 tonnes per large trawler. The size of herring is forecasted at 25-31cm and weight at 150-310 grams. The TAC remainder in the North Okhotsk subarea, including 40,000 tonnes of Gizhigino-Kamchatka herring, exceeds 250,000 tonnes.

Favourable conditions for formation of commercial concentrations of saury in October 2010 will be in the area to the southeast and east of Shikotan and to the south of Iturup where the fleet's operations are possible until the second decade of October 2010. Daily catch rates are forecasted at no more than 20 tonnes and at 20-30 tonnes per ship. Already in September 2010 strong concentration of saury started forming in the waters of Japan. According to the scientific forecasted, September and October are the more favourable periods for covering quotas under intergovernmental agreements.

In the West Bering Sea zone longliners' operations will be held back by weather conditions on the fishing grounds. Strength of white halibut concentrations in that period of the year gradually increases. However, the bulk of catch will be contributed by cod, the bycatch of halibut not to exceed 3-5%. In the Karaginsk subarea on mixed cod and halibut grounds longliners are forecasted to catch halibut at 3-8% of the total harvest. In the Sea of Okhotsk white halibut will be harvested as bycatch on the bottomfish grounds. The black halibut fishery is possible in October from longline and trawl vessels in minimum volumes in connection with its abundant spawning. At the same time, daily catch rates will not exceed 1.5-2.0 tonnes per longliner. As bycatch the fishermen will harvest a large number of skates and lycodes. The average catches of trawlers are forecasted at 2-4 tonnes with the share of halibuts to amount to 60-80%. Net fishery in the period of mass spawning of halibut is prohibited.

On the grounds of bottomfish species (fit for human consumption) at the western coast of Kamchatka up to 30-80% of catches can be represented by flounder. Catches of Danish seiners can vary from 1 to 19 tonnes depending on the fishing area.

Squid catches at the islands of Ketoy-Paramushir will grow slightly as compared to September 2010 and can amount to 4-6 tonnes per tow and 16-24 tonnes per ship. The bycatch will amount to 5-10% of the total catch.

At the islands of Paramushir-Onekotan the fishery operations will be more efficient. The catch rates per tow are expected at 6-7.5 tonnes of squid and 24-30 tonnes per ship, but the bycatch there will be higher and may reach 8-12% of the total harvest. Fairly stable and high catch rates are expected on the squid grounds in the Petropavlovsk-Komandorsubarea, in the area, adjacent to the North Kurile Islands. The size of the average daily harvest can be 28-35 tonnes. In October 2010 the scientists forecast catches of 5000-7000 tonnes of squid in the West Bering Sea zone and 2000-2500 tones in the Karaginsk area. However the number of vessels should be no less than 7-11 and 2-4 in the above areas correspondingly.

As per early October 2010 in the West Bering sea zone Kamchatka-based fleets continued targeting blue king crab and snow crab opilio. In the Sea of Okhotsk several local groups were hunting for crabs, shrimps and whelks.

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