Ilya Shestakov: “Berths of FSUE National Fish Resources should not become private”
In his interview with IAA PortNews held at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Ilya Shestakov, Head of Russia’s Federal Fisheries Agency, explains the situation with marine berths of Russian fishing ports.
- Mr Shestako, could you, please, explain the Agency’s position on the state of marine berths controlled by FSUE National Fish Resources. Do you think it is possible to transfer the berths’ ownership to private companies?
- In general, the trend of losing the berths of sea fishing ports has been formed long time ago, not making a secret, under the passive eye of the organisation … However, a lot has changed by now. And we will strongly oppose this trend not only to commercialize the berths but also to prevent their transfer to private owners. Apart from the strategic significance it is important economically. If we speak about fishing ports, they should remain fishing ports and handle fish. So, I’m sure, it is very important to have a possibility of retaining the specific purpose of fish ports through coordination of the facility lease rates.
We have done a big job with many lessees and there are those who really implement investment projects in a constructive way. There are challenges but we are set to solve the issue of leasing relationship in a consistent and transparent manner.
The federal budget has allocated resources for overhaul of the berths in the Kamchatka Territory. It is an important activity as they have been in a deplorable condition, indeed. We will continue our work with the government looking into other possibilities. Our general task, and we discuss it with Vladivostok Sea Fishing Port, is to ensure that the overhaul is carried out by the lessees. We agree to partly take over the costs through a preferential lease rate. In fact, the estimated value of the berths (of Vladivostok seaport –Ed.) takes into consideration the need of overhaul.
It should be taken into account that the value estimation is to be done once a year, the overhaul increases the value and the next year its value is much higher.
As for the berth of Vladivostok Sea Fishing Port we have taken away by court action … Of course, there is no aggression from our part in this story. Actually, there was an order of the Prosecutor-General’s Office according to which we took away the berths. The legal procedure has not been completed yet. I believe, we will find a solution to our lease relations with Vladivostok Sea Fishing is a lessee undertakes to build a state-of-the-art refrigerating facility. This obligation is set forth in the agreement. In case of the failure to fulfill it, the lease rates will increase several times.
- Are you planning any changes for the rent collection system?
- In fact, it is new. First of all, we carry out evaluation, introduce an obligation to overhaul and maintain berths and discuss lessee’s obligations on investment facilities. The obligatory condition is the preservation of fish specialization, a lessee should handle certain percent of fish products. We do not speak about 100%, of course. Yet, evaluation of the berths depends on this factor.
- What are other regions to be included into the programme of allocations for berths overhaul?
- As of today the programme covers only the Kamchatka Territory. We hope to be able to properly solve all the issues with lessees in other regions through this sort of cooperation.
Interviewed by Nadezhda Malysheva
