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

In June 2009 the total harvest of Russian vessels in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic amounted to 87,600 tonnes, thus displaying a decrease by 1900 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 amounted to ca.15.2% of Russia's total harvest in the area.

The catch decrease could be attributed mostly to smaller blue whiting harvest (minus 7600 tonnes) in the transition period of the stock's migration northwards to the feeding grounds in the Norwegian Sea. In the Barents Sea the Russian fleets increased catches of cod by 1500 tonnes. The landings of haddock remained on a par with the previous month (minus 500 tonnes). The harvest of saithe settled at the minimum level. In the Norwegian Sea the blue whiting fishery in the period of active migration to the north was conducted in the northeast part of the Faroese fishing zone and in the international waters of the sea with the bycatch of herring (+1300 tonnes) and mackerel (+700 tonnes). In the end of June separate vessels began switching to direct mackerel fishery in the enclave of the Norwegian Sea. In the Irminger Sea the conditions for ocean perch S.mentella fishery were unstable especially in the second half of June (+400 tonnes). In the Central Eastern Atlantic the fishermen increased catches of pelagic species (+3600 tonnes) thanks to larger harvest of sardinella (+3200 tonnes) and mackerel (+1100 tonnes). Experimental krill fishery in the waters of the South Orkneys Islands was finished. After checking the fishery conditions at the South Georgia Island one Russian trawler moved to the waters of the Patagonian shelf. One of Kaliningrad-based vessels conducted horse mackerel fishery with the bycatch of mackerel in the Southeast Pacific (Chilean subarea).

Barents Sea

The bottomfish fisheries in June 2009 were conducted by 65 vessels on the average. Taking into account the distribution of cod and haddock stocks in early feeding period, the fleet was operating in two main areas, namely in the southeast of the sea (Russia's EEZ and the Grey Zone) where there were up to 60 vessels and in the northwest (waters of Spitsbergen). According to the shipowners, the fishery conditions were mostly good. The best catch rates and the largest size of cod and haddock were observed on the grounds between the Bear Island and West Spitsbergen. The total harvest of cod through the month grew to 31,600 tonnes (+1500 tonnes), while the catch of haddock remained at 9000 tonnes (minus 500 tonnes on May 2009). The harvest of saithe beyond the Norwegian EEZ remained at the minimum level of ca.200 tonnes. According to distribution of the fishing efforts, in June 2009 the bulk of cod and haddock was harvested in the Russian waters (54% and 59% correspondingly).

Norwegian Sea

The blue whiting fishery was conducted in the northeast part of the Faroese fishing zone and in the south of the enclave of the Norwegian Sea. Separate vessels were operating in the adjacent waters of the Norwegian EEZ. The Russian expedition consisted of up to 15 trawlers, including 4-5 coming from Kaliningrad. The fishery conditions were characterized by decreasing strength of the concentrations in the period of active migrations of blue whiting towards more northern grounds for feeding. Taking into account the transition period the total harvest of blue whiting in June 2009 decreased to 19,400 tonnes (minus 7600 tonnes). The share of fish harvested by Kaliningrad-based vessels amounted to 21%. In the international waters of the sea the bycatch of herring and mackerel went up with the total harvest through the month amounting to 1800 tonnes (+1300 tonnes) and 800 tonnes (+700 tonnes) correspondingly. In the end of June 2009 separate vessels started switching to direct mackerel fishery.

Irminger Sea

The fishery of ocean perch Sebastes mentella was generally characterized by instability. The fishery was conducted by up to 15 trawlers, including 5-7 coming from Kaliningrad. In the beginning of the month the fleet was locating on several sites, one of which was operating at a distance of up to 100 miles to the south of the border of the Icelanding zone. In the second half of June 2009 nearly all the fleet was working on the traditional grounds along the south border of the Icelandic waters between 28-29 degrees West. According to the captains, the fishery conditions were not stable in general, the efficiency at the depths of 600-800 meters greatly varying from 5 to 20 tonnes per day. The total harvest of ocean perch Sebastes mentella in June 2009 amounted to ca.5800 tonnes (+400 tonnes), of which 55% were harvested by Kaliningrad-based vessels.

Central Eastern Atlantic

Pelagic fisheries in the Central Eastern Atlantic in June 2009 were conducted by 4-7 trawlers in the zones of Mauritania and Western Sahara. The total harvest grew to 16,300 tonnes (+3600 tonnes). The main fishing grounds were concentrated in the Mauritanian zone (contributing 70% of all the catches in the region) where catches were dominated by horse mackerel (51%), sardinella (33%) and mackerel (17%). In the waters of the Western Sahara the catches were dominated by horse mackerel (60%) and mackerel (39%).

Single vessels were conducting limited fishery of Greenland halibut in the waters of East Greenland and Northwest Atlantic (NAFO zone 3R). Experimental fishery of krill in the waters of the South Orkneys Islands was finished. After checking the conditions at the South Georgia Island the trawler moved to the Argentinean subarea. The krill harvest since the beginning of the year amounted to ca.9500 tonnes. One of the trawlers of the West Basin began harvesting horse mackerel with the bycatch of mackerel in the international waters of the Southeast Pacific (Chilean subarea). The harvest of horse mackerel in June 2009 amounted to 740 tonnes.

Provisional catch figures for the Atlantic Ocean in June 2009