Russian Pollock Association to control catch and roe production towards better prices in 2009

Pollock Fishermen's Association based in Vladivostok made a decision to harvest pollock in the Sea of Okhotsk in 2009 at the level of 2008, namely at 400,000 tonnes at the largest, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru) with reference to the Association.

On 18 December 2008 the Association's council approved the form of Agreement on distribution of pollock catches in 2009 between the seasons A and B. The agreement was prepared with regard to the agreement of 2006 on limiting the pollock roe yield to 4.5% of the harvest.

The Association's member companies control 60% of the pollock TAC 2009 in the Sea of Okhotsk embracing four subareas of Kamchatka Kurile, North Okhotsk, West Kamchatka and East Sakhalin. Several large fishing companies of the Russian Far East, which are not members of the Association so far, have already confirmed their wish to support the decision made by the Association.

This decision may have a great impact on the pollock prices in the world (namely for H&G pollock, w/r pollock, pollock fillets and roe) because the Association's members control 44% of the world pollock harvest in the A season. The Association's efforts in pollock fishery management will let stabilize prices and positively influence the financial and economic situation of the Russian fishermen.

At the same time, the decision will not touch the domestic market and pollock prices for the Russian market. In 2008 the Association's member companies shipped pollock products equivalent to 200,000 tonnes of pollock in live weight. In 2009 the volume of shipments may rise if the national banks give the fishermen credits totally worth 7 billion RUB and the retail chains confirm their readiness to order and purchase the extra volume.