Results of Russian fisheries in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic in September 2007

In September 2007 Russia's total harvest in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic amounted to 84,200 metric tons, 15,500 tonnes down on the result of the previous month. Due to seasonal changes in the Barents Sea the harvest of bottomfish considerably decreased. Besides, the Russian fishermen finished harvesting mackerel in the Norwegian Sea and ocean perch Sebastes mentella in the Irminger Sea. The range of species harvested in September was extended with the red king crab in the Barents Sea and ocean perch Sebastes mentella in the Norwegian Sea.

In the Barents Sea cod and haddock spread across wide maginal waters in more dispersed condition which had resulted into a considerable decrease of catches of cod (minus 7100 tonnes) and haddock (minus 2800 tonnes). The fishing efforts in the course of the month were spread approximately equally between the Spitsbergen area (where ca.45% of cod was harvested) and the Russian EEZ. The bulk of haddock harvest, namely 90%, was contributed by the Russian EEZ. The total harvest of bottomfish species in the Barents Sea basin amounted to 15,500 tonnes. Since the start of the year the total harvest of cod in the waters of the Barents Sea exceeded 140,000 metric tons, while the harvest of haddock amounted to ca.51,000 metric tons.

Red king crab and sea scallops

Trap fishery of red king crab grew more active mainly in the closing ten days of September. Taking into account the crab meat content by the end of the month the shipowners sent no more than 15 crabbers to the grounds. The total results of red king crab fishery through September amounted to 1700 tonnes. The fleet's total harvest of sea scallops amounted to 500 metric tons.

In the Norwegian Sea the bulk of the fleet was engaged in fishing operations on the herring grounds with the species harvest amounting to 48,000 metric tons, 1100 tonnes up on the corresponding result of August 2007. More than 85% of fish was harvested in the Norwegian EEZ. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels amounted to 38%. Since the start of the year the herring catch totaled ca.122,000 tonnes. Blue whiting was harvested mostly as bycatch and, according to provisional figures, the Russian landings of blue whiting in September amounted to 3600 tonnes contributing to the total catch of more than 218,000 tonnes since the start of the year (37% of which was harvested by Kaliningrad-based fleets). After the end of the fishing season in the Irminger Sea about 20 Russian trawlers were targeting ocean perch Sebastes mentella in the enclave of the Norwegian Sea. According to the provisional figures, the Russian harvest of ocean perch with pelagic trawl gear in the international waters is estimated at 3400 tonnes with the contribution of Kaliningrad-based fleets dominating at nearly 60%.

Separate vessels conducted limited fishery of halibuts in the western sector of the Greenland Zone and on the Flemish Cap with the total harvest of less than 200 tonnes.

In the Central Eastern Atlantic (Mauritanian EEZ) pelagic species were harvested by a small group of 3-5 large vessels. Their total catch through the month amounted to 11,000 tonnes. Just like in August, catches were dominated by sardinella (68%).

Catches of the Russian vessels in the North Atlantic in September 2007