Blue whiting TAC reduction may affect Russian catch
The four-party agreement signed in late October 2006 between EU, Faeroe Islands, Iceland and Norway finalised a reduction of the TAC for the species in the Northeast Atlantic from 2 million tonnes in 2006 to 1.7 million tonnes in 2007 and the Russian fishermen are worrying that their catch of the popular affordable fish can be affected.
Meanwhile the November meeting of NEAFC where the Russians are also taking part is supposed to deal with the catch of the species in the waters under the jurisdiction of the organization.
In the last five years the Russian blue whiting catch has been fluctuating around 320,000 tonnes, the fish mostly frozen whole or processed into backs for domestic human consumption.
Table. Russian blue whiting catch in the Northeast Atlantic in 2001-2005, ‘000 tonnes
| Year | Faeroese Fishing Zone | Norwegian EEZ | International waters of the Norwegian Sea | International waters west of the British Islands | Total |
2001 | 100.4 | 50.4 | 117.8 | 46.9 | 315.5 |
2002 | 126.2 | 25.3 | 92.2 | 36.6 | 280.3 |
2003 | 119.5 | 19.5 | 152.1 | 62.2 | 353.3 |
2004 | 138.5 | 12.5 | 113.4 | 76.0 | 340.4 |
2005 | 143.2 | 12.9 | 103.1 | 64.6 | 323.8 |
Average for the last 5 years | 125.6 | 24.1 | 115.7 | 57.3 | 322.7 |