Russia's forecasted TACs and distribution of main commercial species in North Pacific in 3rd quarter of 2009

At the recent meeting in TINRO-Centre the Russian scientists have discussed forecasts of allowable catches and distribution of species in the basin of the Pacific Ocean in the third quarter of 2009, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (https://www.fishnet.ru/).

According to the forecasts, in July-September 2009 the fishermen will be allowed to harvest more than 1,266,000 metric tons, nearly 170,000 up on the same period last year. The shares from the annual TAC forecast for the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea amount to approximately 24% each. The South Kuriles are expected to contribute 21% of the forecasted annual TAC, while the East Kamchatka and the North Kuriles will contribute ca.15% and a little more than 7% correspondingly.

In the West Bering Sea zone pollock accounts for 75% of the forecasted TAC. The bulk of the recommended harvest in the Sea of Okhotsk (west coast of Kamchatka and the East Sakhalin subarea) will be contributed by salmons which will also dominate in catches in the waters of the South Kuriles.

Actually, the forecasted TAC in the third quarter of last year 2008 was covered only at 66% with 355,000 tonnes remaining non-harvested. The underexploited species included salmons, flounders, herring, wachna cod, cod, Atka mackerel and many other species. Probably, due to a number of reasons in July-September 2009 there will be a large lag behind the forecasted harvest as compared to the same period last year.