25 Sep 2020 12:53

Recovery of fish stocks in Taimyr to take no less than 18 years, damage estimated at 3.5 bln rubles - fisheries agency

MOSCOW. Sept 25 (Interfax) - The recovery in Taimyr fish stocks after the Nornickel fuel spill will take no less than 18 years, Deputy Agriculture Minister and head of the Russian Federal Fisheries Agency (Rosrybolovstvo) Ilya Shestakov told reporters.

"The Lake Pyasino basin was fully surveyed during a special expedition. The results that are available suggest that recovery from the damage will take a significant time - about 18 years," he said.

The damage caused to aquatic bioresources was estimated by Rosrybolovstvo at 3.5 billion rubles, Shestakov said. "But the Rosrybolovstvo methodology provides for claims against the violator in terms of restoration of stocks. Our claim is not monetary, it is in terms of restoration of stocks," he said, noting that this will require the release of 9,000 tons of juvenile fish.