Russian fisheries in the North Atlantic in June 2007
Russia's total harvest in the North Atlantic exceeded 90,000 tonnes in June 2007, more than 6000 tonnes up on the result of May 2007.
Barents Sea
June is the most favourable period for bottomfish operations in the Barents Sea and as compared to May 2007 in June 2007 the harvest of cod and haddock increased by 6800 tonnes and 4600 tonnes correspondingly. The bulk of the cod catch of ca.80% and haddock catch (more than 80%) was contributed by the Russian EEZ.
According to the fleet's location on the grounds, the landings of saithe came practically to naught as the fishery in the Norwegian EEZ was conducted by single vessels.
The total harvest of bottomfish species in the Barents Sea increased by 9700 tonnes to 38,500 tonnes through June 2007.
Norwegian Sea
The blue whiting fishery in the Norwegian Sea was conducted within the Faroese fishing zone and in the international waters of the sea. Following the stocks migrating northwards the fleet gradually moved to more northern grounds and by the end of the month nearly all the vessels were operating in the southern part of the loophole. Some trawlers switched to herring fishery.
The total harvest of blue whiting through June 2007 amounted to less than 22,000 tonnes, 13,000 tonnes down from the corresponding result in May 2007.
The herring harvest in June 2007 amounted to more than 3500 tonnes. In the second half of June the bycatch also included mackerel. In the end of the month some vessels operating in the loophole switched to its dedicated fishery in the surface waters.
Russia's total harvest of mackerel, bycatch inclusive, reached 3000 tonnes through June 2007.
Irminger Sea
In the Irminger Sea the Russian fishery of ocean perch Sebastes mentella was characterized as stable. The Russian group of up to 18-20 trawlers was targeting the species on the traditional grounds at the depths of 650-750 meters along the borderline of the 200-mile zone of Iceland. Schools of ocean perch Sebastes mentella slowly moved to the northwest and by the end of the month nearly approached the borderline of the Greenland zone. Some of the fleet started switching to mackerel fishery in the Norwegian Sea. June's total harvest of ocean perch Sebastes mentella exceeded 11,000 tonnes, 6600 tonnes up on May 2007.
In the Northwest Atlantic off the Flemish Cap, Newfoundland Bank and East Greenland the black halibut fishery was conducted by Murmansk-based vessels sporadically switching to ocean perch fishery.
Russia's total harvest did not exceed 100 tonnes of halibut, 200 tonnes of ocean perch.
Central Eastern Atlantic
In the Central Eastern Atlantic a small group of 4-6 vessels was targeting pelagic fish off Western Sahara and Mauritania. The dominating species were horse mackerel, sardine and mackerel. Russia's total harvest in the area amounted to 11,800 tonnes, 2300 tonnes down on May 2007.
The above figure included 45% of horse mackerel, 20% of mackerel, 13% of sardine, 11% of sardinella and 11% of anchovy.
Russian catch in the North Atlantic in June 2007
Species | June 2007, ‘000 metric tons | May 2007, ‘000 metric tons | June 2007 versus May 2007, +/- ‘000 metric tons | ||
Murmansk-led North Basin | Kaliningrad-based West Basin | TOTAL North and West Basins | TOTAL North and West Basins | ||
Barents Sea | |||||
Cod | 27.2 | 0.3 | 27.5 | 20.7 | 6.8 |
Haddock | 9.1 | 0.1 | 9.2 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
Halibut | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.7 | -0.5 |
Saithe | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.6 | -1.5 |
Ocean perch | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | -0.2 |
Sea cats | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 |
Shrimp | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | -0.1 |
Flatfish | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
TOTAL | 38.1 | 0.4 | 38.5 | 28.8 | 9.7 |
Norwegian Sea and Rockall Bank | |||||
Blue whiting | 15.5 | 6.1 | 21.6 | 34.9 | -13.3 |
Mackerel | 1.3 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 3.1 |
Haddock of the Rockall Bank | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 | -0.1 |
Herring | 1.5 | 2.2 | 3.7 | 0.2 | 3.5 |
TOTAL | 18.6 | 10.1 | 28.7 | 35.5 | -6.8 |
Northwest Atlantic (Irminger Sea, Greenland, NAFO zone) | |||||
Ocean perch Sebastes mentella | 5.1 | 6.2 | 11.3 | 4.7 | 6.6 |
Greenland halibut | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | -0.6 |
Skate | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | -0.1 |
Grenadier | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | -0.1 |
TOTAL | 5.3 | 6.2 | 11.5 | 5.7 | 5.8 |
Central Eastern Atlantic | |||||
Mackerel | 2.0 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 | -0.2 |
Horse mackerel | 4.2 | 1.0 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 0.6 |
Sardinella | 1.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | -0.4 |
Sardine | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 3.4 | -1.9 |
Anchovy | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
Sardinops | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | -0.4 |
Tuna | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | -0.2 |
TOTAL | 10.0 | 1.8 | 11.8 | 14.1 | -2.3 |
Grand TOTAL in North Atlantic | 72.0 | 18.5 | 90.5 | 84.1 | 6.4 |