Tanker wreck in Kerch Strait to prevent fishing for coming months - experts
MOSCOW. Jan 10 (Interfax) - Following the tanker wreck in the Kerch Strait, fishing there will be suspended for the coming months, the Russian Association of Fisheries (VARPE) said in a statement, citing estimates by industry professionals in Crimea and Sevastopol.
"According to Crimea and Sevastopol fisheries, the current situation in the wreck zone will prevent fishing for the coming months. Fishermen may consider resumption of operations in this water area only after additional analysis is made and the safety of fishing is confirmed. We expect the information about monitoring of the epizootic and environmental safety of the Kerch Strait and adjacent fishing areas in the Black Sea to be publicly available. The same applies to the data from studies of the safety of fish products," VARPE said.
The Association of Crimean and Sevastopol Fisheries is part of VARPE.
VARPE is closely monitoring the environmental condition of the Black Sea in the wake of the tanker wrecks, the statement quoted VARPE President German Zverev as saying. Anchovy is the primary catch in the Black Sea in winter. The overall catch stood at 13,000 tonnes as of December 23. "According to our information, trawlers harvesting anchovy in the Kerch Strait left the area a day before the storm that led to the shipwreck and fuel oil spill on December 15. Since then, fishing has been carried out outside Sevastopol at a significant distance from the coastline," he said.
The main task of fishermen is to dispel the slightest doubt about the safety of fish products supplied to the domestic market, Zverev said. Thus, every batch of fish products brought to the Sevastopol port undergoes additional analysis for physical, chemical and radiation safety under an agreement with the Sevastopol veterinarian department, he said.
Only the designated government agencies, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselkhoznadzor) and the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor), can evaluate the safety of fish and seafood harvested in the Black Sea, Zverev said. "There have been no official statements regarding any deviations from the safety standards for Black Sea fish and seafood to date. This means that Russians should not be scared to buy Black Sea fish. The main condition is that fish is bought from official sellers. If necessary, one can ask the seller for a package of veterinarian documents," he said, adding that Russia has very strict regulations for distribution of fish products.
As reported, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 tankers carrying fuel oil wrecked in the Kerch Strait on December 15, causing a fuel leak. According to the Russian Transport Ministry, four tanks with petroleum products were damaged and about 2,400 tonnes of fuel oil leaked into the sea.
A regional emergency was declared in the Krasnodar Territory, Crimea and Sevastopol. There is a federal emergency as well.