Overview of Russian fisheries in North and Central Atlantic in August 2011

According to estimated figures, in August 2011 the Russian harvest in the Atlantic Ocean and Southeast Pacific increased by 1,200 MT to 111,000 MT. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based vessels also rose to 28%, reports www.megafishnet.com.

Trawl bottomfish operations in the Barents Sea in August 2011 were conducted by 62 trawlers and 41 small inshore boats coming from Murmansk-led North Fisheries Basin. Just like in the previous month the largest catch of 24,700 MT (-4,200 MT) was recorded in Spitsbergen, the figure including cod catches of 14,600 MT (-4,200 MT) and haddock - 9,800 MT (+400 MT). The harvest in the Russian waters amounted to 8,900 MT (-500 MT), including 5,200 MT of cod (+700 MT) and 3,100 MT of haddock (-1,000 MT). Besides, in the Russian waters eleven trawlers and 20 small trawlers continued dedicated fishery of plaice. Their harvest amounted to 1,600 MT, of which 88% were contributed by plaice. The Russian fishermen continued saithe fishery until 28 August 2011 in the Norwegian waters, where they harvested 800 MT of saithe (-1,000 MT), including 500 MT of saithe, 100 MT of cod and 100 MT of haddock.

Longline ground fishery of sea cats and cod in the Barents Sea was conducted by 9 vessels (7 from Murmansk and 2 from Kaliningrad). They were operating in the waters of Spitsbergen, in the Russian EEZ and in the Grey zone. The best daily catch rates of 14 MT were reported from the latter two subareas, while the daily harvest in Spitsbergen amounted to 10 MT. The average daily catches for all the fishing areas amounted to 11 MT per vessel.

According to provisional figures, the remainder of the Russian quotas amounted to 26% for cod and 21% for haddock.

On 20 August 2011 Murmansk-based vessels began hunting for crabs in the Barents Sea, by the end of the month the group consisted of 15 vessels. The fishery conditions were fairly good, the catch rates of SRTM middle trawlers amounted to 6 MT per day on the average.

The Russian fishermen were targeting herring in three subareas of the Norwegian Sea. The largest fishing efforts, namely 14 Murmansk-based trawlers and 10 Kaliningrad-based trawlers, were observed in the open part of the Norwegian Sea. The vessels spread on a vast area from the border with Yan-Mayen to Spitsbergen where they concentrated as a strong group by the end of the month. The fishery situation was satisfactory, catches of BMRTIB large trawlers amounted to 50-80 MT per day, but in the end of the period under review catches grew slightly lower and the vessels started moving to Spitsbergen. By 31 August 2011 the number of vessels operating in the waters of Spitsbergen reached 13 (9 vessels coming from Murmanskand 4 trawlers from Kaliningrad). The fishery situation was satisfactory, the average daily catch of refurbished RTMKS trawlers amounted to 167 MT.

From 17 to 28 August 2011 four Kaliningrad-based trawlers were conducting herring fishery in the waters of Yan-Mayen. The average daily catch amounted to 76 MT per vessel.

The total harvest in all the fishing areas amounted to 13,700 MT of herring, of which 45% were contributed by Kaliningrad-based vessels. From the beginning of the year the herring harvest totaled 40,700 MT (27.8% of the Russian quota of 146,300 MT). In the year 2010 the total harvest for the same period amounted to 60,800 MT.

After a small break RTMS trawler Nikolay Afanasjev resumed blue whiting fishery in the open part of the Norwegian Sea on 11 August 2011. Afterwards she was joined by other vessels who finished mackerel operations. The total fishing efforts in the period under analysis amounted to 14 vessels (5 Murmansk-based and 9 Kaliningrad-based trawlers). The fishery conditions were weak and the bulk of the vessels started moving to the herring grounds. Nikolay Afanasjev harvested 25 MT of blue whiting per day on the average. The total catch of blue whiting amounted to 2,700 MT (-700 MT), of which 65% were harvested by Kaliningrad-based fishermen. The total harvest in the NEAFC waters from the beginning of the year amounted to 30,500 MT of blue whiting. In the same period of 2010 the result was 38,400 MT.

On 23 August 2011 Kaliningrad-based BMRTIB Alexey Anichkin began hunting for ocean perch Sebastes mentella in the open part of the Norwegian Sea, then other vessels joined the trawler on the frounds, and by the end of the month under analysis there were 8 vessels operating on the grounds (4 trawlers coming from Murmansk and four from Kaliningrad). The fishery situation was weak, catches of BMRTIB trawlers amounted to 10 MT per day. The total harvest through the period under analysis amounted to 400 MT of ocean perch. The fishery situation was weak, catches of BMRTIB trawlers amounted to 10 MT per day. The total catch through August 2011 amounted to 400 MT of ocean perch, of which 63% were contributed by Kaliningrad-based vessels. The total harvest from the beginning of the year amounted to 400 MT (the quota of 7900 MT was issued for all member countries, the quota to be exhausted under the Olympic system). In 2010 the fishery took off a bit earlier - on 16 August 2011, but up to the end of August 2011 the catch amounted to 300 MT.

The mackerel fishery in the open part of the Norwegian Sea was conducted by 29 vessels (17 trawlers from Murmansk and 12 trawlers from Kaliningrad). During the whole period under analysis catches were fairly good, e.g. BATM big trawlers harvested about 80 MT per day. As the quota was covered, the vessels switched over to herring and blue whiting fishery. On 21 August 2011 the fishery was suspended in connection with quota exhaustion. The total catch in the open part of the Norwegian Sea in August 2011 amounted to 16,000 MT of mackerel. Kaliningrad-based vessels contributed ca.61% of the harvest. According to provisional figures, the catch from the beginning of the year 2011 totaled 55,100 MT of mackerel against the Russian quota of 49,200 MT. The quota was exceeded due to permission to cover some of the mackerel quota in the Faroese fishing zone in the open part of the Norwegian Sea (5500 MT). In the same period of 2010 the fishermen harvested 45,200 MT of mackerel.

In the waters of the Faroese Islands 23 Russian trawlers were hunting for mackerel (17 vessels coming from Murmansk and 6 vessels from Kaliningrad). Starting from 10 August 2011 the vessels began moving in the open part of the sea. On 16 August 2011 the last two trawlers based in Murmansk closed mackerel fishery. The fishery situation was satisfactory, the efficiency of BATM big trawlers amounted to 55 MT per day. Through August 2011 the vessels harvested 8,800 MT of mackerel. The contribution of Kaliningrad-based trawlers amounted to 15%. The total mackerel harvest from the beginning of the year 2011 in the waters of the Faroese Islands amounted to 18,300 MT (71.9% of the Russian quota of 25,500 MT). In the same period of 2010 the Russian fishermen harvested 11,700 MT.

The ocean perch fishery in the open waters of the Irminger Sea was conducted by only 6 trawlers (1 Murmansk-based trawler and 5 Kaliningrad-based trawlers). On 12 August 2011 the fishery was suspended due to very weak fishery situation (average catch of BMRIB big trawlers amounted to ca.7 MT per day). The total catch through August 2011 amounted to 100 MT. Kaliningrad-based vessels contributed 87% to the harvest. The harvest from January through August 2011 totaled 22,000 MT (74.6% of the Russian quota of 29,500 MT). In the same period of 2010 the total catch amounted to 22,800 MT.

On 7 August 2011 TSM Kolomenskoye owned by Marine Star Ltd started operations on the grounds of ocean perch Sebastes mentella in the waters of East Greenland, later the vessel was joined by TSM Karacharovo owned by the same company. The fishery situation was weak, the average daily catch was equal to 4-5 MT. On 22 August 2011 the fishery was finished. The total catch from the beginning of the year amounted to 300 MT (4.8% of the Russian quota of 3,400 MT). In the same period of 2010 the harvest totaled the same 300 MT.

The Russian halibut fishery in the waters of East Greenland was conducted by one vessel coming from Murmansk and one vessel from Kaliningrad. Murmansk-based trawler was working more efficiently with the average catch amounting to 8 MT per day versus 2 MT reported by Kaliningrad-based trawler TSM Ostankino owned by ZAO Zapmorflot. Starting from mid-August 2011 Kaliningrad fishermen moved to the waters of West Greenland.

On 19 August 2011 TSM Ostankino began targeting halibut in the waters of West Greenland, in the end of the month one foreign-built trawler based in Murmansk joined Ostankino on the grounds. Catches were fairly good in the area, e.g. Ostankino harvested 12 MT of halibut per day.

In the waters of the North West Atlantic in the NAFO zone three Russian trawlers based in Murmansk were operating in August 2011. One of them was targeting halibut (8 MT per day on the average), the other two were hunting for ocean perch (16 MT per day on the average).

In the Canadian EEZ two vessels based in Murmansk made attempts to conduct fishery of illex squid. The fishery situation was extremely weak, both vessels returned to the NAFO grounds. The total harvest through the period under analysis amounted to 12 MT (1.5 MT per day), of which illex squid amounted to 39%, hake - 47% and other fish - 14%.

Pelagic fisheries in the waters of Moroccan EEZ were conducted by 10 vessels (6 trawlers based in Murmansk, 3 in Kaliningrad and 1 in Saint Petersburg). The vessels were working in between the 21st and 24th degrees North. The fishery situation was generally satisfactory slightly dwindling in the end of August 2011. The average daily catch of refurbished RTMKS trawlers amounted to ca.100 MT of mostly mackerel. In August 2011 the Russian fishermen harvested 20,600 MT of fish (+13,200 MT), including 4,300 MT of horse mackerel, 13,500 MT of mackerel and 2,400 MT of sardine. Contribution of Kaliningrad fishermen in the total harvest amounted to 31%. The total Russian catch in the Moroccan waters amounted to 28,100 MT (in the same period of 2010 the result was 24,000 MT).

The fishery in the Mauritanian EEZ was conducted by four Russian trawlers (2 vessels from Murmansk and 2 from Saint Petersburg). In the first five days of the month one of Murmansk-based trawlers moved to Moroccan waters. The fishing grounds stretched from the 18th degree North to the border with the Moroccan EEZ. The fishery situation was satisfactory, the efficiency of refurbished RTMKS amounted to 81 MT on the average. Catches were dominated by sardinella, in the north of the area the fishermen bycaught mackerel and horse mackerel. The total harvest through the period under analysis amounted to 5,000 MT (-4,500 MT), of which 2,600 MT of sardinella, 500 MT of horse mackerel and 1,600 MT of mackerel. Kaliningrad-based vessels harvested 59% of raw fish. From the beginning of the year the harvest in the Mauritanian waters amounted to 42,600 MT versus 79,800 MT in the same period last year.

The Russian operations on the toothfish grounds in the Argentinean subarea beyond the border of the economic zone were conducted by two longliners coming from the Russian Far East. The fishery situation remained on a par with the previous month, the average daily catch amounting to 700 MT. The Russian fishermen harvested 37 MT of toothfish in August 2011 and the harvest through the first eight months of 2011 amounted to 145 MT.

In the Southeast Pacific two BATM large trawlers based in Kaliningrad were hunting for horse mackerel. The fishery situation was weak with catches ranging from 20 to 60 MT per day. The harvest in August 2011 amounted to 1,200 MT (-600 MT), the harvest through the first eight months of the year totaled 8,200 MT.

Russian harvest of main commercial species in North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic in January-August 2011