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Fish and oil fight for space in Russian fjord

Both fish producers and oil companies want to use the Pechenga fjor close to Norway.

Aquaculture company «Russian Salmon» complains to the President against plans of establishment of a 15 million tons oil reloading plant close to their fish cages.

Location

“Russian Salmon” has since 2005 been producing salmon and trout in Devkina Bay in the Pechenga fjord and in the Barents Sea. The company produced 12,000 tons of fish in 2013, and has invested more than 3 billion rubles in development of the production in order to increase production to 25,000 tons by 2020.

“Russian Salmon” can be forced to give up their plans, as the company “Pribrezhny” has been given permission to establish a port for reloading of oil in the same area. According to the plans, a 320,000 dwt tanker is to be placed in the fjord as a floating reloading plant for up to 15 million tons of oil. The plant is planned to start operations in the first quarter of 2016.

In a letter to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin “Russian Salmon” writes that the oil will be reloaded very close to the fish cages and that an oil spill could have serious consequences.

The management of Liinakhamari Sea Port, which manages the reloading plant, says to Kommersant that the oil reloading operations will not harm the environment, since only modern technology will be used, without any dredging of the sea bottom. They are also willing to pay Russian Salmon’s insurance in case of an oil spill.

“Pribrezhny” is now negotiating with Gazprom Neft, Rosneft and other companies on delivery of oil.