Outlook for fisheries in Murmansk-led North Basin in August 2007

In the Barents the Russian fleets will continue active fishery of bottomfish species. In search for larger cod and better catch rates, a lot of vessels moved to the northwest part of the sea off the Bear and Hope Islands. The total harvest in August 2007 is forecasted either on a par with July 2007 or 10-15% smaller.

In the Norwegian Sea the bulk of the fleet switched to active herring fishery in the enclave on the grounds at the 71st-73rd degrees North. In the second half of August the fleet will start moving to Spitsbergen to the grounds to the south of the Bear Island. Some of the vessels will probably start targeting herring in the northern part of the Norwegian EEZ.

In the Irminger Sea the fishery operations on the grounds of ocean perch Sebastes mentella will continue in limited volume and only on the grounds to the south of Greenland as well as in the subareas of the NAFO zone. Particular vessels will target halibut in the Northwest Atlantic (West Greenland and Flemish-Pass).