Sakhalin Salmon Catch Falls to About 12,000 Tonnes, Companies Still Supply the "Affordable Fish" Programme

Sakhalin's Pacific salmon catch this year is only about 12,000 tonnes. According to the region's Fisheries Minister Ivan Radchenko, despite the decline in catch, local companies continue to take part in the "Affordable Fish" programme, placing part of their catch on the market at social prices.

Radchenko made the remarks in an interview with the newspaper Fishnews Дайджест. "Despite the decline in catch and the marked rise in market prices for Pacific salmon, the region's companies are still working with us, allocating part of their catch for sale under the 'Affordable Fish' programme. We are continuing this work as instructed by Governor Valery Limarenko, supplying fish products to Sakhalin and Kuril Islands residents at social prices," he said.

According to him, since the start of the year more than 2,200 tonnes of freshly caught fish have been sold through the programme, 16% more than in the same period last year. Of this, about 100 tonnes of pink salmon (粉鲑) and more than 19 tonnes of chum salmon (大麻哈鱼) were sold under the programme.

Pink salmon are mainly caught in the northern and central parts of Sakhalin Island. Radchenko said that despite logistical difficulties, sales were also organised in settlements in the south of the island and supplies were delivered to the South Kuril district.

The "Affordable Fish" programme runs all year round, with supplies arranged by season: pink salmon and chum salmon during the summer salmon season, chum salmon in autumn, saffron cod (宽突鳕) in winter, walleye pollock (狭鳕) and cod in spring, and flounder available almost all year. "Traditionally I want to thank the companies taking part in the programme; this is very important work," Radchenko said.

For more on this season's difficult salmon run, salmon farming issues, herring fishing progress and other topics, see the full interview published on the Fishnews website.