Rosselkhoznadzor approved list of Russian ports for foreign ships to land fish

The Russian veterinary and phytosanitary service Rosselkhoznadzor has approved the list of the Russian ports authorized to receive and transship fish from foreign vessels operating on the grounds of the Northeast Atlantic.

According to Rosselkhoznadzor, the list of ports has been in line with NEAFC's scheme of сontrol and enforcement valid as of 1 May 2007 and supposed to fight illegal, non-reported and non-regulated fishery. For foreign vessels operating in the NEAFC waters landing and transshipment in Russia are allowed only in the ports of Murmansk, Kaliningrad and Saint Petersburg. Rosselkhoznadzor has authorized its Murmansk department to cooperate with the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission in the respective issues.

The companies found guilty of unlawful fishery by the port inspectors will be deprived of the right to operate in the convention's area.

On the NEAFC grounds the Russian vessels have been annually harvesting more than 220,000 tonnes of blue whiting, herring, mackerel and ocean perch making ca.20% of Russia's total harvest of the above species.