Russian fish catch up 13% to 3.5 mln tonnes in 2023 - Rosrybolovstvo head

MOSCOW. Aug 17 (Interfax) - Russian fishers have caught 3.5 million tonnes of fish since the beginning of this year, 13% more than a year earlier, the head of the Federal Fisheries Agency or Rosrybolovstvo, Ilya Shestakov said at a meeting held by President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.

Fish catches are growing in Russia's main fishing basins, as well as outside of the country's economic zone, "despite the unfriendly actions of a number of countries," Shestakov said.

"I want to note that a number of unfriendly countries are doing themselves a disservice - they imposed a ban on fishing vessels' entry to their ports, stopped repairing our vessels. However, businesses that previously served the Russian fleet are suffering substantial financial losses, some are on the verge of bankruptcy," Shestakov said.

He said this situation confirmed the need to expand and modernize Russian ship repair facilities and develop the country's own competencies.

"For the sector it is strategically important for our fleet to be serviced on Russian shores. We are in a dialog with the Industry and Trade Ministry, but of course a comprehensive approach is needed and coordination of the work of all agencies involved," Shestakov said.

Speaking about the development of aquaculture, he said farmers produced 228,000 tonnes of fish and other seafood in the first half of 2023, 5.8% more than a year earlier. "We expect 5% growth for the year," he said.

Shestakov also said that the sector is continuing to increase exports of fish products, which go to 80 countries. Exports rose 2.5% year-on-year to about 1.2 million tonnes in the first seven months of 2023.