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Putin: no Russian fish export from 2009

Russian trawler (Barentsphoto.com)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin this week signed a decree, which prohibits all Russian fish exports from the Barents Sea starting from 2009.

Location

The decree is intended to help stop the extensive illegal fishing, the Russian News Service reports. The new regulations also seek to put a stop to Russian trawlers’ reloading of catch to foreign freight ships.

The decree comes after a period of stronger Russian government focus on the problems of illegal catch. Head of the Russian Fishery Agency, Mr. Andrey Krainy has on several occasions highlighted the need for radical measures in Russian fisheries.

The last years, Russian trawler companies have made good money on illegal catch and unregistered reloading of fish to freight vessels bringing the raw materials to foreign ports.

The new decree covers fishing in the Barents Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.