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

According to provisional figures, in January 2008 the total harvest of Russian vessels in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic amounted to 45,600 tonnes, thus displaying a decrease by 4,500 tonnes on the result of the previous month of December 2007, fishery sources in Murmansk, with reference to provisional figures as per early February 2008, told www.fishnet-russia.com (https://www.fishnet.ru/).

In the Barents Sea the catch decrease could be attributed mostly to absence of polar cod (Boreogadus saida) fishery which was ceased in the first ten days of December 2007 and lower catches of red king crab (due to smaller fishing efforts).

In the Norwegian Sea the Russian fleets reported a decrease of blue whiting catches. Abundant fishery of Atlanto-Scandian herring in the Norwegian EEZ began in the end of the closing ten days of January 2008.

Cod and haddock

In the Barents Sea the landings of cod through January 2008 were estimated at 11,000 tonnes, 1000 tonnes up on December 2007, while landings of haddock amounted to 2500 tonnes, 400 tonnes down on the previous month. Taking into account the beginning of the pre-spawning migration of large mature fish to the spawning grounds, the bulk of cod (75%) and haddock (51%) was harvested in the Norwegian EEZ.

Saithe

The same area contributed all the catches of saithe through the month estimated at 1700 tonnes. In December 2007 the fleet spread in the areas beyond the Norwegian EEZ where saithe was not harvested. As compared to January 2007, the harvest of main species considerably grew with cod, haddock and saithe catches correspondingly growing by 5000 tonnes, 800 tonnes and 1200 tonnes. That could be explained by more active Russian fisheries in the Norwegian zone.

Red king crab

In January 2008 the Russian fleets harvested no more than 300 tonnes of red king crab, 2000 tonnes down on December 2007 and 400 tonnes down in January 2007 due to smaller fishing efforts.

Blue whiting

In the Norwegian Sea during the expedition fleet mostly harvested only blue whiting in the Faroese fishing zone. The lack of the fishing efforts resulted into a decrease of catches by 11,900 tonnes, 4600 tonnes down on December 2007. Contribution of Kaliningrad-based fleets decreased to ca.20% only. As compared to January 2007, in the first month of the current year 2008 the total harvest of blue whiting increased by 2300 tonnes.

Herring

The conditions for herring fishery in the Norwegian EEZ appeared already in the first ten days of January 2008, but the abundant fishery in the area to the southwest of the Lofoten Islands developed only by the end of January, when the group grew to 8-10 trawlers. The total harvest of herring through the month amounted to 3000 tonnes with the share of the vessels based in Kaliningrad-led West Fisheries Basin not exceeding 10%. As compared to January 2007, in the opening month of the current year 2008 the Russian fishermen increased their herring catches by 2200 tonnes.

Central Eastern Atlantic

In the waters of the Central Eastern Atlantic (zones of Mauritanian and Western Sahara) Russia's harvest of pelagic species in January 2008 amounted to 14,300 tonnes, 1200 tonnes up on December 2007. Just like in the northern areas of the Atlantic Ocean, the bulk of the harvest was contributed by Murmansk-based vessels (78%). The Russian catches in the Central Eastern Atlantic were dominated by horse mackerel (45% of the total harvest in the area), sardine (26%) and mackerel (23%).

Catches of Russian vessels in the North Atlantic and in the Central Eastern Atlantic in January 2008