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

In May 2009 the total harvest of Russian vessels in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic amounted to 89,500 tonnes, thus displaying a decrease by 4100 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.16.3% of Russia's total harvest in the area.

The catch decrease could be attributed mostly to closure of the Barents Sea capelin fishery (-5500 tonnes) and smaller catches of blue whiting in the Norwegian Sea (-12,000 tonnes). In the Barents Sea the Russian fishermen increased catches of cod (+6800 tonnes) and haddock (+3100 tonnes) and decreased catches of polar cod Boreogadus saida (-2600 tonnes).

In the Norwegian Sea the bulk of the vessels targeting blue whiting in the Faroese fishing zone in late May went to the international waters of the sea where the fishermen reported bycatch of herring. In the Irminger Sea the ocean perch fishery grew stabilized with the catches rising by 4700 tonnes. In the Central Eastern Atlantic the harvest of pelagic species rose by 3900 tonnes dominated by horse mackerel and mackerel. In the Southwest Atlantic in the waters of the South Orkneys Islands one Russian trawler engaged in experimental krill fishery harvested 2500 tonnes through the month on a par with the result of the previous month.

Barents Sea

The bottomfish operations in the course of May were conducted by 60-65 vessels. Taking into account the end of the spawning period for the bulk of cod and haddock in the Norwegian EEZ, the fleet continued actively moving to the areas located to the east (Grey Zone and Russian waters) and north (Spitsbergen) of the Norwegian EEZ. According to the information from the shipowners, the fishery conditions were comparably stable. The total harvest of cod amounted to 30,100 tonnes (+6800 tonnes) and the harvest of haddock totaled 9500 tonnes (+3100 tonnes). Due to the fleets' move beyond the Norwegian EEZ, the harvest of saithe went down to the lowest level of 500 tonnes (-2600 tonnes). According to the distribution of the fishing efforts, in May the bulk of cod was caught in the Bear-Spitsbergen area (50%) and the Russian EEZ (40%). The bulk of haddock was harvested in the Russian waters (55%) and Spitsbergen (40%). In the Norwegian EEZ the fishermen harvested 78% of saithe.

Norwegian Sea

The blue whiting fishery was conducted mostly in the southeast part of the Faroese fishing zone where the fleet consisted of ca.15 trawlers, including 5-7 ships coming from Kaliningrad. The fishery conditions on the days of good weather were comparably favourable, in the third ten days of May 2009 the fish continued active migration to more northern feeding areas in the Norwegian Sea. Taking into account the fishery situation in the transition period, the bulk of the fleet by the end of the month entered the southern part of the enclave of the Norwegian Sea where the bycatch contained herring and mackerel. The total harvest of blue whiting through the month amounted to 27,000 tonnes (minus 12,000 tonnes). The contribution of seafood harvested by the vessels in the West Fisheries Basin amounted to 30%.

Irminger Sea

The ocean perch fishery in the first half of May was characterized by instability. The fishery was conducted by up to 13 trawlers, including 5 ships coming from Kaliningrad. In search for more efficient grounds the fleet was spread on several grounds along the 30th degree West off the border of the Icelandic zone up to 100 and more miles. In the second half of May the situation somewhat stabilized and the fishing conditions emerged also on the traditional grounds along the Icelandic zone to the west of the 30th degree West. The efficiency at the depths of 600-800 meters amounted to 10-12 tonnes per day on the average. The total harvest of ocean perch Sebastes mentella in May 2009 amounted to 5400 tonnes, including 45% harvested by Kaliningrad-based vessels.

Central Eastern Atlantic

The pelagic fisheries in the Central Eastern Atlantic in May 2009 were conducted in the zones of Mauritania and Western Sahara. The total harvest grew to 12,700 tonnes, 3900 tonnes up. The main fishing area was located in Mauritania (80% of all the catch volumes in the region where the catches were dominated by horse mackerel (70%) and mackerel (20%). In the waters of Western Sahara (2500 tonnes) the catches were dominated by mackerel (more than 50%) and horse mackerel (30%).

Single vessels in May 2009 conducted limited fishery of Greenland halibut, ocean perch and pink shrimp in the Northwest Atlantic. One trawler continued experimental fishery of Antarctic krill in the Southwest Atlantic. The catch remained on a par with the previous month at 2500 tonnes (+200 tonnes). The krill harvest since the beginning of the year amounted to 9500 tonnes.

Provisional catch figures for the Atlantic Ocean in May 2009, 1000 tonnes