Russia’s Federal Agency for Fisheries reports that in late August the overall catch of Ivasi sardine and mackerel had reached 87,700 tonnes, marginally exceeding the 2021 catch figures.
The bulk of this catch is the 62,000 tonnes of Ivasi sardine, while the mackerel catch has reached 25,400 tonnes, with a smaller fleet at work than last year.
According to scientific body VNIRO (TINRO), eleven medium- and large-capacity vessels under the Russian flag are currently operating in the sardine and mackerel fisheries. Fishing is taking place in the South Kuril Strait and catches of sardine can exceed 500 tonnes per day for some fishing vessels.
Russian vessels have not started fishing for saury and it is considered unlikely that saury will enter the Russian economic zone. In international waters, saury is fished by the vessels from China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.
The Agency reports that there are as yet no signs of Pacific squid approaching the South Kuril region, while a fleet of around a hundred fishing vessels is operating in international waters just beyond the Russian EEZ limit.
