Russian fisheries are registering record catches during the 2018 pelagic season, with fishery scientists forecasting good catches for years to come.
As of 1 October, data from the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries indicates fisheries in the Russian Far East harvested 55,300 metric tons (MT) of pelagic fish, two-and-a-half-times more than in the same period in 2017. A week before that date, in late September, the growth rate was even higher – 3.5 times – in comparison to last year, but bad weather conditions led to a temporary halt in operations. With the weather getting favorable again, the growth rate is expected to accelerate once more.
These figures are proof of the optimistic forecasts by fishery scientists regarding pelagic stocks for the few next years, according to the agency.
Out of the total harvest, iwashi (sardine) totaled 39,000 MT, 3.5 times more than in 2017; mackerel, at 12,400 MT, was twice as large; and catches of saury, at 4,100 MT, were 800 MT lower due to bad weather.
At the moment, 31 medium- and long-range vessels are in operation, and a scientific vessel was added to help fishermen find fish. The use of a scientific ship, not for conducting research but for assistance in catch, was one of the reasons of the good harvest, officials said.
Besides Russian ships, 40 Japanese and two South Korean fishing ships worked in the Russian waters.
It is expected that the share of mackerel will increase in the total harvest in the second half of October.
Deputy Head of the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries Vasiliy Sokolov called on companies to deploy more vessels to get the maximum results from the pelagic season.
Experts said high volumes of pelagic fish are likely to cause retail prices to drop, though not seriously. Mackerel is the fifth-most popular fish in Russia, with nearly 285,000 MT eaten annually, representing nine percent of the total seafood consumption in the country.
