Russia’s pollock catch increases, demand flat
Monday,23 July,2012 10:22:44
During the first half of 2012 more than 216 thousand MT of fish and seafood was caught in the Sakhalin-Kuril region, and catches of pollock showed a notable increase compared to 2011, particularly in North-Kuril region.
In June 51,000 metric tons of aquatic bio-resources where caught by fisheries in Sakhalin and Kuril Islands. The largest contribution to the total catch was traditionally provided by Alaska Pollock (27,000 metric tons).
West Sakhalin subzone contributed still minimal among all the fishing areas, just 0.7 thousand MT. Fishermen caught
416 metric tons of flounder, 141 metric tons of pollock and 89 metric tons of sea urchins.
In the East Sakhalin subzone the intensity of fishing decreased due to end of pollock fishing season. It was caught 3,000 metric tons against 12,000 metric tons in May.
However, in the South Kuril area with its high reserves of pollock the results are far better: in June fisheries supplied to buyers nearly 12,000 metric tons of this fish.
In general, in the first six months over 216,000 metric tons of aquatic bio-resources was produced in Sakhalin-Kuril region, which is 40,000 metric tons more compared to the same period of 2011. Catches of pollock still make a main part of it: 138,000 metric tons, or plus 29,000 metric tons compared to last year.
As for forecast for the second half of 2012, significant changes in structure of catches and production growth are expected. This is primarily due to the salmon fishing season results, as well as start of Pacific saury fishing. However, scientists also presume an increase of pollock catches since their intensity traditionally rises by the end of the year.
Russia’s ban on Norwegian fish continues
Wednesday,18 July,2012 09:40:20
A story with the Russia’s ban of Norwegian fish continues.
Recently, the supervisory authorities of Norway and Finland notified Rosselkhoznadzor of restriction introduced for two fishing companies that exported fish to the Russian market.
According to the Finnish Food Safety (Evira), a ban was imposed on the export by Savon Taimen Oy, No. F68651, due to its failure to meet sanitary and veterinary requirements of Russia and Customs Union.
As reported by the Rosselkhoznadzor's press service, they received a notice from the Norwegian State Service for Food Control (Mattilsynet) of veterinary certificates termination for fish products export from the company M-343. In a course of further testing it was found that the procedure of microbiological sampling and laboratory testing at the plant did not meet the requirements of the Customs Union. In addition, Mattilsynet informed the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the termination of the company M-108, and therefore it should be removed from the register of companies approved to export fish and seafood to Russia. It’s obvious that Norwegian authorities are looking forward to the renewal of fish exports to Russia and therefore are taking all possible measures to meet the requirements of Rosselkhoznadzor.
So hopefully the situation will soon get back to its “status quo.”
“Russian Sea” to rival Norwegian salmon
Wednesday,18 July,2012 08:03:59
Russia is going to supplant Norwegian salmon from its market by offering domestic products to customers.
This is what I thought of when learned about starting of a new hatchery for Atlantic salmon by “Russian Sea” company group in the Murmansk region.
The technology, deployed at this hatchery, is planned to spread to other branches of the group located in the Barents Sea.
As I learned, to date the complex has 12 cages measuring 38 meters in diameter and 27 meters in depth. Environment created by biologists and engineers is identical to natural conditions for wild fish.
In the first section of “Russian Sea – Aquaculture” in the Murmansk region 1.2 million roe pieces of the salmon smolts were laid, which should grow into 4 to 5 thousand metric tons of fish by 2014 fishing season.
Moreover, “Russian Sea” won a right to use 11 sites in the Barents Sea with potential volume of Atlantic salmon up to 40,000 metric tons of output. Adding the potentially growing volumes of trout in the White Sea and lakes of Karelia region, the overall estimated supply of salmon in all parts of the company will reach up to about 70,000 metric tons
.
According to report of the “Russian Sea” press service, it is planned to deploy areas allocated to the company in several stages. During next 5 years the company plans to work on sites in the Murmansk region for growing Atlantic salmon to bring volumes to 20,000 - 30,000 metric tons per year.
The “Russian Sea” director Inna Golfand said that launch of the first section of the salmon hatchery in the Barents Sea is a significant event for the company, and expressed belief that overall capacity of sites along with using the most advanced technologies will allow to replace up to 50 percent of salmon currently imported to Russia from Norway.
I would also like to note that one of main advantages of “Russian Sea” is more convenient and fast delivery of fish to its customers. Due to this fact the fish grown in the Barents Sea will be superior to the Norwegian salmon in terms of freshness and therefore more competitive.
Russian fisheries earn MSC certification
Tuesday,10 July,2012 13:38:40
Prospects of Russia’s joining WTO positively affect some related matters.
Recent award of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification confirming compliance with standards for sustainable and well-managed fishery to two of the salmon fishing companies in the northeastern Sakhalin is one of them.
Certificate was awarded to the autonomous nonprofit organization “Sakhalin Salmon Initiative” and the Fishermen Association of Sakhalin. What does this mean? Passing certification indicates that fishing business on Sakhalin is stable and transparent. The MSC recognized the effectiveness of utilization of pink salmon resources.
Similar attempts of salmon fishing certification are also being made in the Aniva Bay. Everything points to the fact that other local fishing companies will also be awarded with certification.
Sakhalin fishermen are among the first in the Russian fishing industry who began to take sustainability and ecology as a serious matter.
Taking into account that a large amount of Alaska salmon fisheries discontinued their participation in MSC earlier this year, I believe it is going to be a rain-check for the MSC on how certification reflects on the international market price of the fisheries awarded with certification.
Very, very interesting.
Antibiotics found in Asian seafood
Friday,6 July,2012 13:44:11
Caution: Asian seafood may require special attention.
As I recently learned, Australian sanitary services stated cases of unsatisfactory quality of fish imported from Asian countries.
Antibiotic enrofloxacin, forbidden in the country, was found in five batches of fish exported to Australia in the first half of 2012, while in 2011 only three batches did not pass Australian veterinary control due to presence of this drug. It contained in iridescent shark fillet, tilapia, and even fish cutlets from Vietnam. According to specialists, a particular danger is a small content of antibiotics, which leads to development of strong resistance to these substances in bacterial strains.
Australia Agriculture Department confirmed that in recent years the number of positive results of antibiotics content tests in fish imported from Asian countries significantly increased. However, seafood from China was found the most unsatisfactory, 13 percent of the whole banned products. Prohibited drugs were also detected in fish from India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and France.
It’s also worth mentioning that, in connection with information received from Australia, Russian Rosselkhoznadzor expressed its concerns about the quality of Asian seafood imports. So keep tuned for potential measures.
Good news for Russian seafood buyers
Thursday,5 July,2012 12:40:23
It’s time to sum up results of operation of Far Eastern fishing companies, and, fortunately, they do not disappoint. In May more than 90 thousand metric tons of seafood was caught in Kamchatka sea waters, with the most active fishing in the North-Kuril region.
According to the press service of Kamchatka Fishing Research And Scientific Organization, in the last month the total catch in the Western Bering Sea and the North Kuril zones and several subzones amounted to 91.339 thousand metric tons. For comparison, in May 2011 that figure was about 84.4 thousand metric tons.
Catches of five species comprised 82.8 percent (75.615 thousand metric tons:
- Alaska Pollock (39.898 thousand metric tons)
- Flounder (10.4 thousand metric tons)
- Greenling (8.795 thousand metric tons)
- Cod (7.371 thousand metric tons)
- Grenadier (5.382 thousand metric tons)
Compared to the same period last year there is an increase in production of Pollock, flounder and grenadiers.
As for results of past five months, they are following: overall production volumes of Pollock nearly coincided with last year: 902.632 thousand metric tons (in 2012) against 902.872 (in 2011), while smaller catch in January-May were for herring (-26.543 thousand MT), flounder (-0.391 thousand metric tons) and Greenland halibut (-0.304 thousand metric tons).