Russian catch in the first seven months of 2007

In the first seven months of 2007 the Russian fishermen harvested 1.81 million metric tons of fish and non-finfish species in all areas of the World Ocean, 65,100 tonnes or 3.5% less than the 1.875 million tonnes caught in the same period a year earlier, according to Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency.

In internal seas, territorial waters, Russia's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, as well as in the Azov and Caspian seas the catch amounted to 1.367 million tonnes, down 2.5% or 35,600 tons from 1.402 million tonnes in the same period last year.

The catch amounted to 443,400 tonnes in the waters of other countries, areas covered by conventions and the open part of the World Ocean, down by 29,500 tonnes or 6.2% from 472,900 tonnes a year earlier. The fall was caused mostly by catch decreases by 12,300 tonnes of herring in the Norwegian EEZ, 2100 tonnes of blue whiting in the Faroese fishing zone and 16,100 tonnes of blue whiting in the NEAFC waters.