Moscow's freshfrozen fish market showing new trends in late November 2009
Late November 2009 has been characterised by comparably stable situation on the freshfrozen fish market of Moscow, analysts of www.fishnet-russia.com (www.fishnet.ru) concluded after analyzing the current situation on the market.
At the same time, market players report weakening prices for herring and strengthening prices for blue whiting, trout and pink salmon.
Catch
As per 23 November 2009 Russia's total harvest of finfish and other aquatic species amounted to 3,285,100 tonnes, 312,700 tonnes up on the corresponding result of 2008. The TACs were covered at 82.5%, 10.5% up on the corresponding result of last year.
NAFO
At the inter-session meeting in late November 2009 NAFO has considered issues on shrimp stock management in the coming year 2010. In particular, the scientific council of NAFO has suggested introducing a moratorium on shrimp fishery due to the stock's unsatisfactory condition, but under the initiative of Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency supported by several delegations NAFO has approved only a 50% reduction of the fishing efforts on the shrimp grounds in 2010.
ANTCOM
At the 28th session of the Scientific Council and the Commission for the Conservation of marine live resources of the Antarctic (ANTCOM) have looked into the issues of compliance with the current measures on conservation of marine live resources and approved recommendations on conservation of such stocks, management of catches and setting the TACs. Along with the above, ANTCOM has approved the Russian applicants on participation in krill, toothfsh and crab fisheries in the ANTCOM zone for the coming fishing season.
Russia's government update
First Deputy PM Viktor Zubkov has held a meeting of the Government's Commission on fishery development issues. At the meeting the Commission has scrutinised the current condition of the nation's fishing fleet and discussed measures on its modernisation and refurbishment.
Viktor Zubkov has called upon the business circles to more active financing of new shipbuildings. He says that the main financial burden of fleet renewal should be incurred to fishing companies investing both own capital and borrowed money.
First Deputy PM is also planning to conduct a meeting on exploitation of fishing vessels built under state guarantees and on adjustment of the charterers' debts owed to the federal budget.
As of 25 November 2009 the Central Bank of the Russian Federation has reduced the refinancing rate by 0.5% to 9%. The decision has been aimed at further raise of affordability of credit sources for economic subjects and stimulation of the final demand.
Import statistics
According to Russia's Statistics Committee, in the course of the first nine months of 2009 the import volume of fresh and frozen fish (HSC Groups 0302-0304) amounted to 544,300 tonnes at the total value of 970.6 million USD. At the same time, through the whole year 2008 Russia's fish import amounted to 881,100 tonnes totally worth 1659.9 million USD. If the dynamics of fish imports in the course of the closing three months of 2009 did not change, the total import through 12 months of 2009 could amount to ca.1200 million USD, ca.30% down on 2008.
New export requirements
In late November 2009 the Russian fishery industry has been concerned by a possible halt in seafood exports from Russia caused by introduction of new requirements by the EU Commission. More specifically, as of 1 January 2010 a new law aimed at fighting IUU fisheries comes into force in the EU, the law providing for introduction of catch certificates to accompany exported seafood consignments, otherwise the latter will be not subject to importation to the EU. In order to meet such a requirement Russia has to enter into an agreement with the EU and reconcile the procedures. (Such agreements have already been made by China and the USA). Russia has not yet specified which body (Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency or Ministry of Agriculture) shall be commissioned to issue the catch certificates, experts say.
The Russian fishermen fear that seafood exports from Russia can be suspended for some time until Russia settles all the organizational problems from signing the agreement with the EU to delivering the printed forms onboard the fishing vessels at sea. That will be fairly a challenge for the short period of three or four weeks left before the New Year.
Take-over
In late November 2009 Russia's largest retail chain owner X5 Retail Group has announced about its acquisition of 100% shares of Paterson trade chain. The take-over will result into transformation of Paterson's 52 shops into supermarkets under the name of Perekrestok and of 20 smaller shops into Pyaterochka discounters.