Russian fishers expected to see bigger catch in African countries' economic zones in 2025

VLADIVOSTOK. Nov 28 (Interfax) - Russia's Federal Fisheries Agency tentatively believes stocks of marine biological resources in the economic zones of African countries are in good condition and anticipates a possible increase in Russian fishers' catch there in 2025, agency head Ilya Shestakov told reporters in Vladivostok on Thursday.

"In general, we see that the state of stocks there is decent. I think that the vessels of our Russian economic operators who fish in the economic zone of Morocco can expect an increase in the catch next year," Shestakov said.

He said the expedition started not long ago, so it is too early to report results, but preliminary data are already being gathered and will be analyzed by Russian and foreign scientists.

"Surveys have now been done in Morocco and are concluding in Mauritania. Then we'll do more surveys, planned in 16 countries at this point. The expedition will continue in 2025 and in 2026. And when we already gather the whole set of data, of course, it will all be processed by our scientists together with our African colleagues," Shestakov said.

The research expedition to study fish stocks in the exclusive economic zones of African countries, the Great African Expedition 2024-2026, set sail in August. It includes two research vessels of the VNIRO federal fisheries and oceanography research institute, the Atlantida and Atlantniro. The comprehensive survey of fish stocks will cover the waters of 19 countries along the western coast of Africa, from Morocco to Angola, and the western part of the Indian Ocean, along the coasts of Eritrea, Oman, Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius.

The expedition is being carried out in line with a government order dated June 19, 2024. President Vladimir Putin issued instructions to arrange the expedition following the Russia-Africa forum in 2023.