Salmon season 2011 took off in Kurile waters

In the waters of the North Kuriles the salmon season 2011 took off on the first days of June, according to Russian Fish Insider Report published by http://www.megafishnet.com/.

The fishery started with the first catches of ca.6 metric tons of sockeye, chum and chinook salmons as reported by the fishermen of Granis Company. Along with the Kurile waters the salmon season officially began in the southwest of Sakhalin.

According to the scientific forecasts, in the current fishing season in the waters of Sakhalin and Kuriles the fishermen will be able to harvest more than 163,600 tonnes of salmons. The bulk of the harvest will be traditionally contributed by pink salmon and chum salmon, namely more than 124,600 tonnes and 38,100 tonnes. The fleets based in the islands will also be able to harvest 460 tonnes of sockeye, 410 tonnes of coho salmon, 50 tonnes of masu salmon and 1 tonne of chinook salmon.

In East Sakhalin subarea the fishery operations will be carried out by 165 companies. The pink salmon catch in the area has been approved at 73,518 tonnes, chum salmon - at 16,756 tonnes, coho salmon - 50 tonnes and masu salmon - 10 tonnes. In the West Sakhalin subarea the recommended catch amounts to 4,518 tonnes of pink salmon, 5,926 tonnes of chum salmon and 10 tonnes of masu salmon.

Twenty companies will conduct fishing operations in the South Kurile zone where the catch volumes have been approved at 44,606 tonnes of pink salmon, 14,789 tonnes of chum salmon, 10 tonnes of sockeye and 10 tonnes of masu salmon. In the North Kurile waters the fishermen can harvest 2000 tonnes of pink salmon, 630 tonnes of chum salmon, 450 tonnes of sockeye, 360 tonnes of coho salmon and one tonne of chinook.

When catches reach 70% of the recommended volumes in any of the areas the Commission will decide either to suspend the fishing operation or raise the allowable catches.