Russian salmon production to drop by half?
Tuesday,26 June,2012 08:38:41
Experts forecast production decline by almost half in 2012. Interesting?
Salmon fishing season already started on Kamchatka Peninsula and soon will start in Primorye Region in Russia, but experts opinion forecasts only 280,000 metric tons will be caught this year. Annual decline of 46 percent!
In addition to this, Chairman of the Far Eastern Fishing Companies Union Dmitry Dremlyuga believes it is necessary to restrict wild salmon exports. According to him, 2011 catch of 520 thousand metric tons had a total export growth from previous year up to 160 thousand metric tons, or by 86 percent. However an increased export price fixing activity is noted here.
Who is up for a wild ride this year?
Russian salmon quota going to the bears?
Wednesday,20 June,2012 12:48:32
Russian bears should receive their quota of wild salmon, scientists say.
Vodka, Red Square and bears – probably, they are still those very things closely associated with Russia. But while vodka and the Red Square do not need any measures to preserve them, wild bears do. According to experts, the population of bears in Kamchatka during the season requires more than 13 thousand tons of salmon. These amounts should be taken into account in the quota distribution between the categories of fishing companies and amateur fishermen.
Experts of Forestry Agency and Animals Protection of Kamchatka call for such measures as taking into account the amount of fish consumption by bears, as well as their spatial distribution on the territory in the period of wild salmon spawning.
Research suggests that wild salmon and pink salmon in particular are the main food source for bears in the period when they put on weight before winter. Whether a bear wake up hungry or not depends on how much fish he eats before going into hibernation.
Last year bears weren’t able to receive the necessary quantity of fish, and more frequent cases of attacks on people are largely accounted to this fact.
Recently the Kamchatka Governor said that the government of the region is willing to take tough measures to preserve wild salmon populations, up to the full ban of fishing on some spawning rivers of the peninsula for two or three years. He called to be more responsible towards wild nature.
And of course, I fully support him!
Russia to develop Northern Sea delivery route
Tuesday,12 June,2012 10:58:36
Russia is going to develop seafood transportation, frozen red fish in particular, by the Northern Sea Route from the Far East to North-West of Russia.
The Northern Sea Route is the shortest route between Northern Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. If the full distance from Rotterdam to Yokohama by the Indian Ocean is 11.2 thousand nautical miles, the route by the Northern Sea is 3.9 thousand nautical miles, or 34 per cent, shorter. This reduces the travel time from 33 to 20 days and, consequently, reduces the cost of delivery.
According to Andrew Krainiy, the head of Federal Agency for Fishery, it’s planned to increase volumes of fish delivered by the Northern Sea route to 80-100 thousand metric tons (compared to 28 thousand metric tons in 2011). The first experimental shipping – delivery of salmon from the Far East to St. Petersburg by “Dalrifer” company accompanied by two icebreakers – has proved it profitable, quickly and cheaply.
Travel by the Northern Sea Route from Kamchatka to St. Petersburg takes 29 days, and delivery costs are about USD 0.2 per kilogram of fish even at the highest rates. Standard delivery of fish from Kamchatka via Vladivostok to Moscow by road transport takes 57-60 days.
Next shipment is planned for August when two refrigerator ships will deliver salmon from the Far Eastern to St. Petersburg. Potential NSR cargo is estimated at 50 million metric tons per year!
Russian fishermen strengthen market position
Tuesday,12 June,2012 10:57:27
There’s a bit of information I’ve got from the Russia’s Pollock Association.
Based on results of fish processing in the Far East currently reported, a clear trend of increase of value added processing becomes visible.
According to the study, during 2011 Far Eastern fishing companies increased production volumes (in metric tons) by 11 percent, while profit raised by 22 percent. One of main reasons for it is development of coastal fishing enterprises and increase of their output, especially for salmon production.
In 2010 the volume of fish production in the Far East declined from the previous year by 2 percent in tons and 1.7 percent in dollars, and showed strong dependence of Far East fishing industry on seasonal factors and logistic services.
However, financial results of 2011 improved a poor performance of the previous year, and, comparing average prices for salmon in 2009 and in 2011, I see the stronger market power of the Russian fishing companies. If in 2009 logistical issues led to falling prices for salmon and reduced the share of fishing companies in the final cost of production, in 2011 the situation is different. In the past year fishermen took a stronger position, and experts expect this trend to be continued in for 2012.
Another trend is that Russia’s authorities develop the concept of coastal fisheries development. Vasily Sokolov, Deputy Head of Federal Agency for Fishery, in his recent interview emphasized that considerable attention must be paid to the concept aimed to increasing the volumes of fish processed by Russian companies in the domestic market, and development of fish processing at the coastal enterprises.
The benefits of fisheries subsidies in Russia
Tuesday,5 June,2012 11:07:51
Russia aims to promote domestic fish processing industry catching up to meet growing demand for seafood. Latest evidence of this intention I saw in the adoption of state program for fishing industry development in Khabarovsk region.
The program aims to develop aquaculture and reproduction of aquatic resources, promote construction of modern fishing vessels, reconstruction of existing fish processing facilities and building new fish storing facilities. To finance the plan it’s supposed to attract funds from regional and federal budgets, as well as raise money from investors.
According to the press service of the Khabarovsk Region Government, current plan is to start construction of a number of state and private hatcheries. The priority will be particularly given to sturgeon and salmon breeding.
Currently 6 salmon hatcheries operate in the region, 3 of them are state owned, other 3 belong to private companies. The average annual production in past five years amounted to more than 67 million species.
In order to encourage fleet and equipment upgrade, the program will also provide state guarantees for the construction and modernization of vessels.
To receive the state subsidies the companies are required to meet three obligatory conditions: increase production volume, increase wages of the company employees, having no tax debts.
The effectiveness of the program already proves itself: in 2011 Russian fishing companies listed among those receiving subsidies increased production volume by 25 percent, and their capital increased by USD 10 million, while the amount of subsidies was only about USD 1.5 million.
Excellent results!