The Russian Federal Fisheries Agency (Rosrybolovstvo) has walked back an earlier plan to increase the country’s pollock quota in the Western Bering Sea.
Rosrybolovstvo announced on its website that the country has decided to set the total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock in the Bering Sea at 700,000 metric tons (MT). That total is in line with scientific advice from the All-Russian Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO).
The announcement does not mention that Rosrybolovstvo was advocating for a TAC of 775,000 MT in October – an increase from 2024 and against the advice of VNIRO scientists.
"In 2024, expeditions were conducted to assess the state of the stocks. The studies showed a stable biomass value, and the optimal fishing load was determined. We will adhere to the recommendations of industry science," Rosrybolovstvo Head Ilya Shestakov said in a release.
According to Rosrybolovstvo, officials made the decision ...
