Russian fisheries in North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic in July 2009

In July 2009 the total harvest of Russian vessels in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic amounted to 99,600 tonnes, thus displaying an increase by 12,000 tonnes on the result of the previous month, fishery sources in Murmansk told www.fishnet-russia.com (https://www.fishnet.ru/), with reference to provisional figures of National Centre for Fisheries Monitoring and Communication.

The contribution of Kaliningrad-based fleets grew to 28% of Russia's total harvest in the area.

The catch rise could be attributed mostly to mackerel catches in the Norwegian Sea in the most favourable period (+27,100 tonnes). In the period of active mackerel fishery the blue whiting harvest in the area decreased by 10,100 tonnes. After exhaustion of mackerel quotas some of the fleet switched over to herring fishery in the international waters of the Norwegian Sea (+4500 tonnes). In the Barents Sea some of the cod stock distributed on the outskirts of the feeding areal with the concentrations growing weaker as well as catches (-9700 tonnes). The harvest of saithe remained at the minimum level. In the Irminger Sea the fishing efforts started decreasing in number, but due to comparable stability of the fishery conditions the harvest of ocean perch Sebastes mentella remained at 5700 tonnes. In the Central Eastern Atlantic at the expense of mackerel and horse mackerel, pelagic catches decreased to 11,800 tonnes (-4500 tonnes). One of the vessels based in the West Fisheries Basin continued horse mackerel fishery in the Southeast Pacific in the course of the first three weeks (+1000 tonnes).

Barents Sea

Bottomfish operations in the course of July were conducted by ca.60 vessels. The fleet was fishing in two main areas in the sea's southeast in the Russian EEZ where at least 60% of all the vessels were operating and in the northwest of Spitsbergen (35-40% of the fishing efforts). According to the shipowners, the fishery conditions in July were mainly satisfactory for that period of the year. In the Russian EEZ the fishermen were working on a large area from the Kildin Bank at the shores of Murman to the slopes of the Goose Bank at the New Land Islands. In the Bear-Spitsbergen area good fishery conditions were observed along the western shores of West Spitsbergen at the 68-69 degrees North. The efficiency in two main areas were generally the same (at 15-20 tonnes per day on the average), but in the sea's northwest the fishermen were harvesting larger fish. The total harvest of cod through the month amounted to 21,900 tonnes (-9700 tonnes), haddock (11,900 tonnes, +2900 tonnes). The harvest of saithe beyond the Norwegian EEZ remained at the minimum level of 100 tonnes through the month. According to distribution of the fishing efforts, the bulk of cod (65%) and haddock (74%) in July 2009 was harvested in the Russian waters. Since the beginning of the year the Russian harvest of cod amounted to ca.160,000 tonnes, while that of haddock made ca.60,000 tonnes.

Norwegian Sea

The pelagic fisheries (blue whiting, herring, mackerel) were conducted mostly in the international waters. In the course of the second and third weeks of July the expedition consisted of up to 25-26 trawlers, including 8-10 ships based in Kaliningrad. The main species was mackerel, mobile concentrations of which spread in the upper 50-meter layer of the sea. As the waters got warmed fairly well, the fish periodically went up to the surface. The fishery conditions in the course of the year were favorable, the highest weekly catch was observed in the third week (7100 tonnes), when the daily rates were sometimes limited only by the processing capacities. In the end of July conditions for fishery operations in the Faroese fishing zone emerged and some of the fleet entered the northern part of the Faroese waters. The blue whiting and herring fishery in July 2009 was conducted by separate vessels. Starting from the fourth week the crews who had exhausted their capture quotas switched over to the herring fishery. Better conditions for its fishery by the end of the month were observed at the 72-73 degrees North as well as in the eastern part of the Yan-Mayen waters. The total mackerel harvest in July 2009 amounted to 27,900 tonnes (+27,100 tonnes on the period month), including 54% contributed by the vessels coming from Kaliningrad. Shipments of blue whiting through July are estimated at 9300 tonnes (minus 10,100 tonnes) with Kaliningrad-based vessels (West Fisheries Basin) contributing 14%. In July the harvest of Atlantic herring amounted to 6400 tonnes (+4600 tonnes), of which 24% were contributed by Kaliningrad-based vessels.

Irminger Sea

The ocean perch fishery in the international waters of the Irminger Sea was conducted by 15-16 trawlers, including up to 9 coming from Kaliningrad. The main fishing area was located on the traditional grounds along the Icelandic border at the 30th degree North. The fishery conditions were non-stable in general with periodical stabilization, especially in the course of the fourth week of the month. The main depths of the ocean perch distribution ranged from 650 to 800 meters. The efficiency was often fluctuating from 5-8 to 20-23 tonnes per day, at the same time in the end of July separate vessels could already harvest up to 30 tonnes per day. The highest harvest of ocean perch (1400 tonnes) through the week was observed in the third week of July. The total harvest of ocean perch Sebastes mentella through the month amounted to 5700 tonnes on a par with the previous month. The share of Kaliningrad-based vessels grew to 65%. The Russian harvest of ocean perch from the start of the year amounted to more than 17,000 tonnes (56% in the West Fisheries Basin).

Central Eastern Atlantic

Pelagic fisheries in the Central Eastern Atlantic in the waters of Mauritania and Western Sahara in the beginning of July were conducted by 6-8 trawlers, including 2-3 ships coming from Kaliningrad. In the following days the group grew smaller in number. The total harvest in July 2009 amounted to 11,800 tonnes (-4500 tonnes). The share of fish harvest by Kaliningrad-based vessels in the area amounted to 35%. In each of the above mentioned areas the fishermen harvest 6000 tonnes. The catch structure changed in the course of the month, but in general in the Central Eastern Atlantic the bulk of the harvest was made up by horse mackerel (59%). The second place was taken by sardinella (24%) and the third place was won by mackerel (13%).

Other areas

Single vessels based in Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin in July 2009 continued limited fishery of Greenland halibut in the waters of East Greenland and Northwest Atlantic (3R area under NAFO jurisdiction) with the total harvest of ca.300 tonnes. One trawler based in Kaliningrad was hunting for horse mackerel with the bycatch of mackerel in the open part of the Southeast Pacific. The harvest of horse mackerel in July 2009 amounted to 1700 tonnes (+1000 tonnes) and the mackerel catch amounted to 100 tonnes.