Russia made decision about complete restriction of crab catch in Far-Eastern seas

Actuality February 20, 2008

On the past in Vladivostok the Far-Eastern Scientific and Trade Board (FESTB) was taken the decision about complete restriction of crab catch in Far-Eastern seas.

"The very important, though disputable decision, is taken about stopping of official Russian crab fishery on Far East", quoted in the press-service of city administration the words of Irshat Shaykhov, the minister of fish industry of Kamchatka Territory. Commenting this decision, Shaykhov added that "now all crab on the Japanese market will be only illegal, and it will be simply impossible to hide the stake of poacher catches from the public".

According to the data of Kamchatka minister, on the board the Kamchatka part made several suggestions for intoducing amendments in the fishery regulations. The main from them - is about return to practice of establishment of migratory days on trade of the Pacific salmon, which was supported by all FESTB participants and it was included to the regulations. Irshat Shaykhov marked also that participants of meeting suggested to introduce about 90 amendments in the fishery regulations on the Far-Eastern pool. Significant part from them was approved. By March, 20 the working group of FESTB should generalize these suggestions.

According to the data, FESTB approved the offered list of species of aquatic biological resources for which total allowable catches are obligatiry established. Councillors decided to consider it additionally and introduce the new grounded suggestions to the working group by March, 1. Also were considered the projects of amandments in regulatory and legal framework on allocation of shares and quotas of catch of aquatic biological resources.

In 2007 in the Far-Eastern fishing ground were caught more than 2,15 million tons of biological resources altogether, that by 126 000 (or by 6%) more than in 2006. And the share of Far East in the general catch of Russia totaled 84%. The next meeting of FESTB will pass in April, 2008 on Kamchatka and will be solely devoted to salmon fishing season of this year, marked in press-service. FESTB includes representatives of administrations of the Far-Eastern subjects of the Russian Fedration, heads and representatives of scientific centers, related to fish industry.