Russian parliament to limit fisheries in defense interests

18.11.2010 Russian State Duma [lower chamber of parliament] adopted amendments of the fisheries and aquatic bioresources preservation law, allowing limitation of fishery in the interests of national defense.

Such restrictions can be imposed in Russian inland sea waters, territorial seas, continental shelf, and exclusive economic zone by a federal executive authority upon request of defense ministry.

At present, legislation limits fisheries only with a view to preserve aquatic bioresources and their rational use.

On the other hand, there are naval ranges within Russia's exclusive economic zone which can be declared temporarily dangerous for a period of exercises. Presence of civil vessels including fishing ones in such regions constitutes danger for them and those crews.

Assets of military infrastructure can be also located in Russia's continental shelf, so use of near-bottom and bottom fishing equipment in such regions may cause negative consequences both for national defense and safety of fishing vessels.

Considering this, the draft law proposes to expand arguments for fishery restrictions, providing that fishing activities can be limited or prohibited in the interests of national defense capacity and security of shipping.