Russian fishermen reported increased catches in 1st half of 2008 (UPDATED)
In January-June 2008 the Russian fishermen harvested 1,585,000 tonnes of finfish and other aquatic species, 76,000 tonnes up on the same period last year, according to the nation's Federal Fisheries Agency.
Far East Fisheries Basin
In the Bering Sea the Russian fishermen harvested 165,000 tonnes, 75,000 down on the corresponding result of last year. The quota take-up amounted to 16%.
In the waters of the North and the South Kuriles the fleets harvested 71,000 tonnes of fish. The area's total quota was covered at 10%, 18,000 tonnes up on last year.
North Fisheries Basin
The total harvest in the Basin amounted to 171,000 tonnes of cod and haddock, 38,000 tonnes up on last year. The quota take-up through the first six months of the year approached 62%.
In the Baltic Sea the catch volumes in January-June 2008 still remained behind the last year results. The total harvest in the sea amounted to 21,600 tonnes of marine species, 3100 tonnes down on the corresponding figure of 2007. The take-up was recorded at 32%. The harvest of Baltic sprat since the start of the year amounted to 12,200 metric tons, 2900 tonnes down on the same period last year.
South Fisheries Basin
Russia's catches of sprat Clupeonella delicatula (local name tulka) in the Azov Sea and in the Black Sea were much behind the last year rates, and amounted to only 4400 tonnes. For comparison, in 2007 the fishermen harvested 2500 tonnes of sprat more.
Unfavorable weather conditions affected catches of Pacific mullet. Since the start of the year the nation's harvest Pacific mullet totaled only 1000 tonnes, 1600 down on the corresponding result of 2007.
Russia's catches of Sprattus sprattus amounted to 3400 metric tons, 200 tonnes up on 2007.
Due to rough weather the harvest of Caspian sprat (local name kilka) amounted to 5500 tonnes, 4400 tonnes down on 2007.
Foreign EEZs
In January-June 2008 the Russian fleets harvested 202,000 tonnes of finfish and other aquatic species in the foreign EEZs, thus reducing their results in 2007 by 29,000 tonnes. In the convention areas and in the international waters of the World Ocean the Russian harvest was estimated at 124,000 tonnes, 14,000 tonnes down on 2007.