Moscow’s plenipotentiary representative in Pacific Russia, Victor Ishaev, has called for legislation which would limit fish exports from Russia, his press service reports. Ishaev is both the Minister for Economic Development of Pacific Russia, and the region’s Governor-General.
Ishaev says that his figures show that the recent positive development in the regional fishing sector is barely reflected in the growth in consumption. He observes that, in the last four years, Russia’s fish exports have gone up 20.7 per cent, and those of Pacific Russia by 42.9 per cent. If earlier those exports were characterised by pollock and crab, last year they were joined by salmon and herring.
Herring exports in 2011 were three times higher than in 2009 while, at the same time, domestic consumption of herring went down sharply. In 2009, average herring consumption was 4.7 kilograms, but in 2011 - 3.7 kilograms. Moreover, because full advantage was not taken of Pacific herring allowable catch quotas, it was replaced in domestic consumption with Atlantic herring.
Ishaev notes that domestic consumption of imported fish has risen sharply, adding that 22 per cent of domestic fish consumption is expensive imports, such as salmon, trout, tilapia, pangasius et al.
Ishaev sees existing legislation as encouraging exports. “In order to assure each citizen’s access to fish products, the government must regulate how much can be exported.
The minister proposes that fresh, frozen and chilled fish be included in the basket of products deemed basic to the requirements of Russia’s domestic market, and that, in exceptional circumstances, temporary bans of not more than six months be put in place on their export, and lifted once it is seen that the domestic market is satiated.