Russia may create consortium for fishing in foreign states' zones

MOSCOW. April 8 (Interfax) - The head of the Federal Fisheries Agency (Rosrybolovstvo), Ilya Shestakov, has proposed considering the creation of a consortium in Russia for the work of Russian fishermen in the zones of foreign states.

"One could consider creating some kind of consortium for work in foreign zones, which would include, in addition to the FEFMC [the Far Eastern Fishing Management Company, which manages assets transferred to the state by the Prosecutor General's Office from crab business entrepreneur Oleg Kan and his associates], commercial enterprises," Shestakov said at a meeting of the agency's board on Wednesday.

Recalling the Great African Expedition which concluded this year, Shestakov said that it had become an important event for the industry, a search for new prospects for the domestic fleet. Research has been conducted in the waters of six countries, and up-to-date information on stocks has been obtained. "Quota shares for fishing in the Moroccan zone have already been allocated among our companies. Fishing will soon begin both in the waters of Morocco and in the waters of Mauritania," he said. "Furthermore, as a result of the negotiations, fishing opportunities have opened up for us in the zone of Sierra Leone," he said.

"I believe there is an opportunity to conduct fishing in the waters of several other states. This requires an active position from fishermen. The Far Eastern Fishing Management Company could act as an engine [for this]. It has both the capacity and state support," Shestakov said.

According to Rosrybolovstvo, Russian fishermen caught 502,800 tonnes of fish and other biological resources in the exclusive economic zones of foreign states, convention areas, and the open part of the global ocean in 2025, up 1% compared to the previous year, including around 265,000 tonnes (-8.5%) in the zones of foreign states.