Despite a lift in landing volumes during December, with 14,600 tonnes of fish handled by the port of Murmansk, the overall figures for the year are disappointing.
During December last year 31 fishing vessels made landings in Murmansk, with large trawlers making their landings elsewhere. St Petersburg MK-0158 landed 247 tonnes and Huginn MK-0236 landed 144 tonnes for two trips, while Kiev MK-0206 landed 143 tonnes, also in two trips.
Last year’s fourth quarter figures showed an encouraging increase in seafood passing through the port, up by 64.20%, although Murmansk’s overall cargo turnover for the year as a whole dropped by 20% and seafood turnover as down 6.40%.
According to the Murmansk Sea Fish Port, the 974th governmental decree, requiring fishing vessels from 1st January 2019 to land all Barents Sea catches in domestic ports, is clearly not being observed, and the port’s reduction in throughput would have been even greater if it has not been for strong activity in fishing for shrimp by Murmansk’s trawlers.
‘The forecast for January 2020 is also disappointing. By January 16, the volume of fish delivered to the port amounted to only 3794 tonnes,’ said Murmansk Sea Fish Port’s Vitaliy Klimenkov. ‘Many vessels have not even sailed yet.’
In spite of the drop in volumes, the Murmansk Sea Fish Port is continuing with its programme of modernisation.
