Naval exercise was canceled as fishing-damaging

31.08.2010 Northern Fleet (NF) maneuvers scheduled in Aug 26-29 could have hindered fishing activities. There were over 30 fishing vessels in the Barents Sea within Russia's exclusive economic zone by the time of fishery ban, reports REGNUM referring to Murmansk Fishery Committee. Their withdrawal from the exercise area could have caused losses of about 1,500 tons of valuable species of fish. According to local Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, gross loss could be somewhat $3 mln.

As for Vasily Nikitin, Union of North Fisheries' director general, "fishing period is very fast-flowing and often lasts only 1.5 months. Imposing of bans makes us search for fish in other less productive sites". Representatives of local guild of fishermen immediately reacted on the situation applying to Dmitry Dmitrienko, Murmansk Governor.

It was noted in official letter sent to NF training officer L. Sukhanov that Northern Fleet and the Fishery Committee had the common task which is maintaining territorial integrity and food security of the Russian Federation. Fishery tycoons ask naval officials to forewarn about zones and terms of prospective exercises. The map of fishing-favorable sites is changed every year so both parties should regularly coordinate their actions. Director of the Fishery Committee underlined that "considering our close cooperation, it is essential to reach agreements which will respect interests of regional fishermen while holding combat training activities".

Reaction on all those requests was that NF canceled the exercise. However, defense ministry submitted amendments of fisheries act for parliamentary consideration. The military tries to legalize its authority to impose fishery bans in specific areas. Fishermen realize significance of military activities, although think those amendments should involve close dialog.