Russian fisheries in North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic in February 2008

According to provisional figures, in February 2008 the total harvest of Russian vessels in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic amounted to 62,400 tonnes, thus displaying an increase by 16,800 tonnes on the result of the previous month, fishery sources in Murmansk, with reference to provisional figures as per early March 2008, told www.fishnet-russia.com (https://www.fishnet.ru/).

In the Barents Sea the Russian catch of cod and haddock considerably grew thanks to stronger concentration of the fishing efforts in the Norwegian EEZ. The total harvest of bottomfish species increased to 21,000 tonnes, plus 4800 tonnes on the previous month of February 2008.

In the Norwegian EEZ the Russian fleets increased catches of blue whiting and herring with the total result for the species exceeding 32,000 tonnes to display a 17,300-tonne increase on the corresponding result of January 2008.

In the Central Eastern Atlantic the fishermen reported a decrease of the fishing efforts thus resulting into a fall of pelagic fish catches by 5200 tonnes to 9100 tonnes.

In February 2008 the fishing fleet worked in four main areas, namely in the Barents Sea (targeting bottomfish), in the Norwegian Sea (herring and blue whiting), in the international waters of Porcupine (blue whiting) and in the Central Eastern Atlantic (pelagic species).

In the Barents Sea the Russian landings through February 2008 amounted to 14,700 tonnes of cod (+3700 tonnes on January 2008), 3800 tonnes of haddock (+1300 tonnes) and 1500 tonnes of saithe (-200 tonnes). Taking into account the bycatch, the total harvest of bottomfish species through the month under the analysis amounted to 21,000 tonnes, 4800 tonnes up on January 2008. Due to the fleet's location the bulk of cod (90%), haddock (88%) and all the saithe catches were contributed by the Norwegian EEZ. The fishery conditions were estimated as fairly stable, however stormy weather impeded the fleet's fishing operations during a considerable period of time.

In the Norwegian Sea the expeditionary fleet was harvesting herring and blue whiting. Despite the lack of the fishing efforts, the harvest of prespawning herring in the Norwegian EEZ in the Lofoten area amounted to ca.9000 tonnes with the share of the vessels based in Kaliningrad-led West Fisheries Basin accounting for 25%. The fishery conditions were estimated as fairly stable and the large-scale fishing operations on the herring grounds were finished by the middle of February 2008 due to the stock's active spawning. Take-up of the Russian herring quota 2008 by the end of the second month of the year amounted to less than 10%. During a large period of time the blue whiting fishery was also impeded by stormy weather. Starting from the second half of February 2008 the Russian fleet was actively moving to the south to the Porcupine waters in order to harvest larger prespawning blue whiting at the depths of 400-600 meters. The total harvest through the month exceeded 23,000 tonnes thus rising by 11,300 tonnes on the previous month. The fleets based in Kaliningrad-led West Fisheries Basin contributed ca.30%. The bulk of catches in February (77% namely) was harvested in the international waters. The total harvest of blue whiting since the start of the year amounted to more than 35,000 tonnes, including less than 40% contributed by Kaliningrad-based vessels.

In the Central Eastern Atlantic (Mauritanian zone) Russian landings of pelagic fish in February 2008 decreased by 5200 tonnes to 9100 tonnes as compared to January 2008. The bulk of the harvest, just like in more northern areas of the Atlantic Ocean, was contributed by Murmansk-led vessels (85% namely). Russian catches in the Central Eastern Atlantic were dominated by horse mackerel (35% of the area's total harvest), mackerel (23%), sardine (20%) and sardinella (16%).

Provisional catch figures for the Russian Far East Basin in February 2008