Fish not contaminated after fuel oil spill in Black Sea - Russian Federal Fisheries Agency

MOSCOW. Jan 22 (Interfax) - The Russian Federal Fisheries Agency (Rosrybolovstvo) has concluded following the first phase of its examination of aquatic bio-resources in the Kerch Strait and waters off the Black Sea coast after last month's fuel oil spill that fish in these areas was not contaminated with petroleum products and poses no health risks to people.

Scientists examined fish caught in these waters for the presence of heavy metals and petroleum products, Rosrybolovstvo said in a statement.

"The concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in the muscle tissue of fish is not above the long-time average annual limits," it said.

The examination results will be submitted to the government commission in charge of coordinating the cleanup efforts after the emergency caused by the tankers' wreck in the Kerch Strait in December 2024.

Such examinations will be conducted in these areas throughout 2025.

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 spilled into the sea.

The Krasnodar Territory, Crimea and Sevastopol declared a regional emergency, and a federal emergency is also in effect.

The government commission headed by Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev is overseeing the cleanup operation.