Policy
Russian fishery management system has the strong legal basis through robust policies enshrined in key laws. The governance structure is based on a series of inter-linked laws, and regulation acts, empowering national and regional bodies to propose, implement and enforce laws and rules related to fishery management.
“On Fishing and Preservation of Marine Living Resources” (2004) is the key legal act specifying main principles of fisheries management in Russia, and stressing that priority in fishery management has to be given to preservation and rational use of aquatic biological resources.
Having signed the FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the Russian fisheries authorities has also guaranteed to apply the principles of precautionary fishery in the national fisheries practice.
Russia has approved and been implementing National Action Plan to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The National plan specifies policy and key actions to be made by the authorities in preventing of IUU fishing.
At the international level, Russia has signed or is working under bilateral inter-governmental agreement to prevent and deter IUU fishing activities with the following countries:
- Republic of Korea (December 2009),
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (January 2012),
- Japan (September 2012),
- People’s Republic of China (December 2012).
- Canada (MoU signed in July 2012)
- USA (2015).
Specific management measures for fisheries are prescribed in the Fishing Rules that are set separately for each geographic region. Management directions for Pollock fisheries are enshrined in the “Fishing Rules for the Far Eastern Fishing Basin”. The Rules define catch limits, seasons, gears, and areas for legal operation. Rules include standard fishery regulations describing the responsibilities of the fishing company, a list of the documents to be available on board fishing vessels, details of prohibited areas, seasons and species, fishing gear regulations, minimum sizes for fish and other harvestable species, by-catch regulations, etc.
References:
Federal Law “On Fishing and Preservation of Marine Living Resources”, 2004
Federal Law “On Exclusive Economic Zone of the Russian Federation”, 1998
Federal Law “On Wildlife”, 1995
Federal Law “On Protection of the Environment”, 1991