Fishery outlook in the Russian Far East in September 2007
In September 2007 medium-sized Alaska pollock is forecasted to keep running from the southeast part of the Bering Sea. The daily catch rates of large trawlers are expected at RUR65-75 tonnes per vessel. The efficiency of the middle-class fleet will decrease with the beginning of autumn. The monthly harvest of Alaska pollock will depend on the number of fishing vessels.
In the first ten days of September up to 50 large trawlers and 19 middle trawlers were operating on the Alaska pollock grounds of the Bering Sea. The daily rates were reported at 46-63 tonnes per large trawler and at 46-53 tonnes per STR middle trawler.
Grenadier fishery which has been a success since the start of the year (plus 5000 tonnes on last year) will probably continue with the same success in September. Moreover, the first half of the month is the most favourable time for dedicated trawl fishery of grenadier in the Bering Sea and in the Kuriles. The catch rates per one-hour haul are expected to reach 4-5 metric tons. In the Kurile waters the fishery of the species is recommended by the scientists on several grounds which should be changed as the fishery conditions dwindle.
Fairly good conditions will remain on the halibut grounds in the West Bering Sea zone. Main concentrations of the species will be concentrated in the inshore waters of the Bering Sea together with cod. Subject to setting 25,000-35,000 hooks, the catches are expected at 3-5 metric tons. The share of white halibut in the catches will amount to 20-45% with the remaining share contributed by cod, Alaska pollock, skates, etc. However, already by the end of the month the fishery situation can worsen as white halibut will start moving to the continental slope and its share in catches will decrease. In the Sea of Okhotsk white halibut will be harvested as bycatch in cod and flounder fisheries.
The flounder fishery can be successfully conducted within the shelf all over in the Kamchatka-Kurile subarea. The average daily catch per vessel may amount to 10-12 tonnes with the bycatch of other bottomfish species not exceeding 40%.
Under the new Fishery Regulations, the Okhotsk herring fishery is allowed as of 1 September 2007. From the first day of the month the species has been harvested by Magadan-based Briakan reporting a result of 102 tonnes through 10 days of the month. The scientists forecast the herring harvest through September 2007 at 2000 tonnes.
On the traditional grounds to the south of the Small Kurile Ridge islands saury will form strong concentrations in September 2007. Harvested fish will be mostly of small and medium size. Besides, under the influence of the Kuroshio current fishable saury concentrations may be formed at the border of the Russian EEZ. There, in the eastern oceaniс area the bulk of catch will be made of medium and large-sized fish. The daily catches are expected to amount to 12-15 tonnes per vessel.
According to the scientific forecasts, the squid fishery should be conducted off the North Kuriles where in September 2007 the squid concentrations are expected to grow stronger. Catches of the species are forecasted at 5-7 tonnes per haul and 25-30 tonnes per vessel daily. The bycatch of mostly Alaska pollock can reach 50% of the total harvest.
Salmons
According to the scientific forecasts, in September the salmon fishery will come to an end in the Karaginsk subarea. Pink salmon and chum salmon will be also harvested on the coho grounds with the coho salmon runs to grow less strong every five days. The total harvest of coho salmon can reach 800 tonnes.
In September 2007 in the East Sakhalin area pink salmon will run mostly towards the island's southeast, but already in the first ten days of September the pink salmon fishery in the islands will be completely finished.
Early September is the time when the abundant concentrations of pink salmon finish running off Iturup and Kunashir. In September pink salmon runs to the south Kuriles will contain larger sizes than in August. The average size of harvested pinks in the course of the month will be 47.5 cm and 1.44 kilos. In September the fishermen can start harvesting chum salmon in the inshore waters of Iturup and Kunashir. The first runs of the species were observed in late August - early September on the pink salmon grounds. In the course of the month catches of chum salmon are expected to grow, the abundant run of chum salmon for spawning is forecasted in the second ten days of October. In September catches of chum salmon in the area will amount to 40-50 tonnes according to the forecast.
Coho fishery in the basin of the Bolshaya River of the Kamchatka-Kurile subarea is also possible in September 2007. Daily rates are forecasted to be the highest possible in the start of the first ten days of the month. The total harvest of coho salmon is expected at 150-200 metric tons.