Fish-year

This year is likely to witness a number of initiatives related to fishing industry legislation. Upon the order of the first vice-PM of RF Government, State Fishery Committee will in the nearest future work out subordinate legislation in compliance with newly adopted amendments to the Law on fishery and preservation of water biological resources. The document envisions sale of biological resources at a fish exchange. The officials suppose some 15-20% of bio-resources will be sold through a fish exchange. They expect the trading without dealers to reduce fish prices by 20-40%.

Trading without dealers

The provision of the Law on Fishery envisioning the sale of biological resources through a fish exchange will come into effect from January 1, 2009. Test operation of exchanges will start in spring of the current year. “The principle of a fish exchange is not our invention – we just study the foreign experience and make our developments,” Federal Fishery Agency Director Andrei Krainy said Friday at a meeting with fishing industry representatives. According to Mr. Krainy, the practice will help to exclude illegal agreements, which are quite frequent today. The core principle of an exchange excludes availability of information about who the purchaser is.

The method of sale (through exchange or by direct agreements) will be selected by the suppliers themselves.

Branches of a fish exchange will spring up in five coastal regions across Russia — Kaliningrad in the west, Murmansk in the north, and Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Petropalovsk-Kamchatsky in the Far East. The exchanges are likely to be incorporated by large fishing companies of the regions.

Fishery initiatives

Experts say, Russian fishery market is getting out of stagnation today. Recent years witnessed a considerable increase in production and consumption of fish, as well as the legislation improvement. In particular, The Conceptions for Fishery Development till 2020 was adopted in 2003. In 2007, revised Fishery Rules came into force. Besides, the amendments were adopted to the Law on Fishery and Preservation of Bio-resources to ensure delivery of catch to the Russian shore. According to the document, the quotes for catching water resources are fixed at a 10-year basis under so-called "historical principle", which means that quotes are to be given to companies actually engaged in fishing.

Besides fast working out of sub-legislation, Dmitri Medvedev also appealed for opening of RF fishing industry companies for foreign investments with advantages for Russian companies. "We should not prevent foreign investment into our companies but we should ensure advantages for our companies. It is our distinct position," the first vice PM said. The issue was considered by the State Duma.