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

In November 2008 the total harvest of Russian vessels in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic amounted to ca.43,000 tonnes, thus displaying a decrease by 24,600 tonnes on the result of the previous month, fishery sources in Murmansk, with reference to provisional figures of National Centre for Fisheries Monitoring and Communication as per early December 2008, told www.fishnet-russia.com (https://www.fishnet.ru/).

The contribution of Kaliningrad-based fleets amounted to 13% of Russia's total harvest in the area.

The catch fall could be attributed mostly to smaller landings of herring in the Norwegian Sea (29,900 tonnes down on the previous month) caused by the quota exhaustion of a number of shipowners at the closing stage of the massive fishery. In the Barents Sea the bottomfish harvest remained at the same level, with slight catch decreases attributed to smaller fishing efforts (due to quota exhaustion by some of the shipowners) and larger cyclones in the autumn period. Increased recurrence of storms resulted into a decrease of red king crab catches to 1700 tonnes, 1000 down on the corresponding result of the October 2008. In November mass fishery of Polar cod Boreogadus saida in the Barents Sea started and finished with the result of 8000 tonnes. The capelin harvest through the period amounted to 2000 tonnes. Catches of pelagic fish in the Central Eastern Atlantic remained the same.

Barents Sea

The conditions for bottomfish operations in November 2008 were satisfactory for the season. As compared to the previous month the number of vessels operating on the bottomfish grounds decreased due to the quota exhaustion by several companies. By the end of November 2008 the fleet operating on the grounds amounted to ca.30 in number. Decreased fishing efforts and larger storms caused a decline of the cod harvest to 7300 tonnes, 800 tonnes down on the previous month, and the haddock catch dropped to 4400 tonnes, 1400 tonnes down on the previous month. The cod harvest in the northwest part of the sea (Spitsbergen) appeared to be on a par with the harvest in the southeast of the sea (Russian EEZ and Grey zone). Landings of cod in January-November 2008 were estimated at more than 180,000 tonnes with the quota covered at 96%. The bulk of the haddock harvest (more than 80% namely) was contributed by the Russian zone. The haddock harvest since the start of the year exceeded 65,000 tonnes with the quota covered at 96%.

The red king crab fishery in November 2008 was continued by more than 20 vessels operating with trap gear. The main fishing area and conditions for fishing operations remained mostly unchanged. Taking into account heavier storms on the grounds located to the northeast of Svyatoi Nos Cape (at the distance of 70-80 miles) the harvest of red king crab through the month amounted to 1700 tonnes, 1000 tonnes down on the previous month. Since the start of the year the total red king crab catch amounted to 7400 tonnes with the quota covered at 65%.

The polar cod fishery in November 2008 was conducted by 4-5 vessels. The main fishing area was located at the northern coast of the New Land to the north of the 76th degree North. The conditions for polar cod fishery with pelagic trawls at the depths of 120-180 meters were satisfactory with the catch rates often limited only by the ships' processing capacities. However, the market situation, large expenses mostly due to the fuel cost did not let unroll the polar cod fishery at full swing. As a result, the total harvest of the species through the month amounted to ca.8000 tonnes out of possible 52,000 tonnes. By the end of the month the fishery was conducted by one trawler only.

While spotting for concentrations of the Barents Sea capelin in autumn-winter period in the north and centre of the sea, two trawlers all together harvested 2000 tonnes of capelin through the month.

Norwegian Sea

Herring was the dominating species on the pelagic grounds of the Norwegian Sea. Main concentrations of herring, which was completing its feeding cycle, spread within the Norwegian EEZ to the northwest of Lofoten. The fishery conditions were fairly good, but a gradual decrease of the fishing efforts and greater take-up of the quotas preconditioned a considerable decline of herring catches through the month to 8100 tonnes, 29,900 down on October 2008. All the fish was harvested in the Norwegian EEZ with the contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels amounting to 47%. The Russian harvest of herring since the start of the year has exceeded 180,000 tonnes with the quota covered at 95%.

In the first half of November 2008 blue whiting was harvested as small bycatch in the fishery of herring, in the second half of the month vacant fishing efforts were sent to the blue whiting fishery in the Faroese fishing zone. By the end of the month up to 8 trawlers were operating in the area. The total catch of blue whiting through the month amounted to 1300 tonnes, of which 23% were contributed by Kaliningrad-based vessels. The Russian harvest of blue whiting since the start of the year amounted to ca.108,000 tonnes. Through the end of the year the fishermen are forecasted to harvest some 27,000 tonnes more.

Central Eastern Atlantic

In the waters of Central Eastern Atlantic the Russian harvest of pelagic species in November 2008 remained at 10,300 tonnes. The dominating species was horse mackerel with a share of 50%, followed by mackerel and sardine with 31% and 13% correspondingly. Nearly all the harvest (88%) was contributed by the vessels based in Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin.

Provisional catch figures for the North Atlantic and the Central Eastern Atlantic in November 2008