Russian fisheries in North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic in early May 2009

On 1-8 May 2009 the total harvest of Russian vessels in the North Atlantic and Central Eastern Atlantic remained at 24,400 tonnes, thus displaying a decrease by 109 tonnes on the result of the previous week, fishery sources in Murmansk, with reference to provisional figures of National Centre for Fisheries Monitoring and Communication, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (https://www.fishnet.ru/).

The contribution of Kaliningrad-based fleets amounted to ca.21% of Russia's total harvest in the area.

Increased cod harvest in the Barents Sea (+1000 tonnes on 23-30 April 2009) and decreased catches of blue whiting (-1900 tonnes) in the Norwegian Sea were the most important developments of the week. In the course of the first week of May 2009 the most efficient fishing grounds were located in the Barents Sea and in the adjacent waters of the Norwegian Sea (bottomfish), Norwegian Sea (blue whiting, Faroese fishing zone), in the Irminger Sea (ocean perch Sebastes mentella) and in the Central Eastern Atlantic (pelagic fish).

Bottomfish

In early May 2009 bottomfish operations were conducted by up to 60 ships. During the week under analysis the fleet was actively changing its location on the grounds and by the end of the week practically all the vessels remaining in the Norwegian EEZ left the Norwegian zone. The fleet kept working in two main areas - waters of Spitsbergen (up to 60% of all the fishing efforts), in the western part of the Russian zone and in the Grey Zone (40%). According to the ship operators, spent fish was actively leaving the Norwegian zone and the fishery conditions beyond its borders were satisfactory, especially in the sea's northwest in the Bear-Spitsbergen subarea where the average efficiency amounted to ca.20 tonnes per boat per day. The total harvest of cod through the week grew to 7200 tonnes (+1000 tonnes), while that of haddock decreased to 1100 tonnes (-500 tonnes). As the vessels left the Norwegian EEZ, the harvest of saithe came down to 475 tonnes (-470 tonnes). According to distribution of the fishing efforts, the bulk of cod was harvested in the waters of Spitsbergen (60%) and in the Russian EEZ (35%), haddock in the Russian EEZ and in the Bear-Spitsbergen subarea (35% each).

Blue whiting

In the first week of May 2009 the blue whiting fishery continued in the south, southeast part of the Faroese fishing zone where up to 10-15 trawlers, including 4-5 coming from Kaliningrad, were operating. The fishery conditions at the depths of 350-450 meters were satisfactory, but the fishery was often impeded by stormy weather. The total harvest of blue whiting through the week amounted to 8900 tonnes (-1900 tonnes). Kaliningrad-based vessels contributed 35% to the above catch.

Irminger Sea

The fishery of ocean perch Sebastes mentella continued to the southwest of the Icelandic zone at the distance of up to 150-180 miles from its south border. The fleet consisted of 12-14 vessels, including 5 ships from Kaliningrad. According to some ship operators, the conditions at the depths of 600-800 meters could be estimated as satisfactory with greater instability and need to search for more efficient grounds. The catch rates fluctuated within 5-15 tonnes per day. The area's total harvest of ocean perch through the week under analysis grew insignificantly to 750 tonnes (+170 tonnes), including 27% contributed by Kaliningrad-based fleets.

Central Eastern Atlantic

Pelagic fisheries in the Central Eastern Atlantic were conducted by a small group of 4-5 Russian trawlers, including 1 ship coming from Kaliningrad. The total catch in the area amounted to 3500 tonnes. Te bulk of the fleet was operating in the waters of Mauritania, where the catches were dominated by horse mackerel (83%). The species also dominated in the catches in the waters of Western Sahara.

Northwest Atlantic

One or two Murmansk-based trawlers were engaged in limited fishery of black halibut, skates, ocean perch and deepwater shrimp. One Kaliningrad-based trawler continued experimental fishery of krill in the Antarctic part of the Atlantic Ocean to the northwest of the South Orkney Islands.

Provisional catch figures for the North Atlantic and the Central Eastern Atlantic in early May 2009