Outlook for Russian quota of blue whiting for the year 2008

NEAFC has taken into account the Coordinated Report on the results of blue whiting fishery consultations of the coastal states (Faroe Islands, EU, Iceland and Norway) signed in London on 23 October 2007. According to the Report, the sides have agreed to set the blue whiting TAC 2008 at 1,150,514 metric tons.

According to article 5 of Convention on multilateral cooperation in the sphere of fishery in the Northeast Atlantic, the sides have agreed to set the blue whiting TAC 2008 at 181,748 metric tons beyond the national jurisdictions of the sides.

* Catches according to the above distribution scheme should be deducted from the sides' quotas.

The sides have agreed that the shares are set with respect to future management of the blue whiting stock in the NEAFC waters. In addition to the above quotas, in 2008 Russia will be able to harvest 16,282 tonnes. The amount of the quota added up to Russia will be gradually decreased and brought to zero by 2010 at the latest.

The quotas for blue whiting fishery in the national zones handed over by one side to another can be covered in the areas specified by the agreements between the sides.

Taking into account decisions of the NEAFC session, Russia's quota of blue whiting in the areas of the NEAFC jurisdiction in the Northeast Atlantic has been set at 108,900 metric tons (92,718 tonnes plus 16,282 tonnes). According to the decision of the 36th session of Mixed Russian-Norwegian Fisheries Commission, in the Norwegian EEZ the Russian fishermen can harvest 21,755 tonnes of blue whiting. The blue whiting TAC 2008 in the fishing zone of the Faroe Islands will be defined by the beginning of December 2007 in the course of further Russian-Faroese fishery consultations (the TAC 2007 has been set at 140,000 tonnes). According to provisional estimates, Russia's total harvest of blue whiting in the Northeast Atlantic in 2008 is expected within 230,000-240,000 tonnes, 25-30% down on 309,145 tonnes in 2007.