Overview of Russian Fisheries in North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic as per mid-September 2010

On 6-12 September 2010 the Russian catch in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic amounted to 25,400 tonnes, 1100 tonnes down on the previous period of 30 August 2010- 5 September 2010. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels amounted to a little more than 21%, reports http://www.megafishnet.com/ (https://www.fishnet.ru/) with reference to own sources in the Basin.

Trawl fishery of bottomfish species in the Barents Sea was conducted by a group of 43 Murmansk-based vessels. The fishing areas remained within the fishery conservation zone of Spitsbergen and the Russian EEZ. As compared to last week, the difference in catch rates of the above areas became more noticeable. In the waters of Spitsbergen the harvest amounted to 3800 tonnes (practically in keeping with the results of the previous week), including 2200 tonnes of cod and 1500 tonnes of haddock. The harvest in the Russian EEZ amounted to 2000 tonnes, including 1400 tonnes of cod and 400 tonnes of haddock displaying declined of 1200 tonnes, 700 tonnes and 300 tonnes correspondingly.

Longline fishery was conducted by 5 vessels of the North Fisheries Basin who were targeting cod, sea cat and haddock in the waters of the Russian EEZ, Spitsbergen, mutual fishery zone and open part of the sea. The average catch per ship amounted to 7.6 tonnes (down from the result of the previous week), but the total harvest through the period under analysis was higher than last year thanks to larger catch vessels.

The remainder of the Russian quotas for capture of cod and haddock amounted to ca.25% and 24% correspondingly.

The fishery situation on the crab and sea scallop grounds grew somewhat worsened. Crabs were harvested by 16 vessels coming from Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin, daily catching from 1.3 to 6.0 tonnes of raw fish. The total weekly harvest through the week amounted to 315 tonnes (-112 tonnes) of crabs. One vessel continued sea scallop fishery, harvesting 176 tonnes through the period under analysis.

In the Norwegian Sea the fishermen continued targeting herring and ocean perch. The main commercial species was herring which was targeted by 30 Russian vessels. The main share of herring (95%) was harvested in the waters of Spitsbergen and the remaining 5% were covered in the Norwegian zone. The situation on the herring grounds in all the areas was fairly good. The total harvest of the Russian vessels through the week under analysis amounted to 12,200 tonnes of herring, 1200 tonnes down on the harvest of the last week. The catch decrease was mostly due to a switch of several Kaliningrad vessels to landings. The share of herring harvested by Kaliningrad vessels declined to 26% of the total harvest, the remaining share was contributed by Murmansk-based vessels. The total harvest of the Russian vessels from the beginning of the year amounted to ca.82,900 tonnes of herring, the quota remainder amounting to 58.8%.

The fishery operations on the pelagic grounds of ocean perch in the international waters of the Norwegian Sea were continued by 10 Russian vessels (6 of them coming from Kaliningrad and 4 ships from Murmansk). The fishery conditions kept improving, the average daily catch rates growing from 15.6 tonnes per day on the previous week to 22.8 tonnes on the week from 6 to 12 September 2010. The harvest through the week amounted to 1234 tonnes (+503 tonnes).

In the waters of Western and Eastern Greenland three trawlers were hunting for halibut. The harvest through the period under analysis amounted to 109 tonnes.

In the Moroccan EEZ a group of 9 Russian large trawlers conducted pelagic fisheries with the conditions reported as fairly good. The harvest through the week amounted to 5100 tonnes, 1100 tonnes up on the previous week, though the catch rates were the same. The catch rise could be attributed to an increase of the fishing efforts by two in number. The bulk of the harvest was contributed by mackerel of 19-32 cm and 141g on the average (3000 tonnes, 300 tonnes up on the previous week) and horse mackerel (1300 tonnes, 600 tonnes up on the previous week). Catches of sardine and sardinella were not high at 200 and 300 tonnes correspondingly. The contribution of the North Fisheries Basin amounted to 75.6%, the remaining share belonged to the vessels of Kaliningrad-based West Fisheries Basin.

Russian catch of main commercial species in North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic as per 5 September 2010 (provisional figures)