The Russian delegation focuses on protecting national geopolitical and commercial interests in the Atlantic, as well as eliminating tariff and quota imbalances. Scientists and specialists from the All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) and its Polar branch play a key expert role in the session.: They participate in meetings of the Standing Committee on Management and Science (PECMAS). The Russian delegation is headed by Kirill Kolonchin, Director of VNIRO, Doctor of Economics.
The session's agenda includes a number of strategically important areas. Special attention is being paid to the management of pelagic fish stocks: it is necessary to determine the catch volumes and distribute quotas for mackerel, whiting and Atlanto‑Scandinavian herring outside national waters. In parallel, the ecosystem approach (EBFM) is developing — it allows taking into account not only the production volumes of individual species, but also broader factors: climate change, ocean temperature and the state of food chains.
Equally important is the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VME): participants continue to discuss measures to control deep-sea fishing, ways to preserve habitat and limit bottom fishing. A separate area of work is digitalization: integration into the new NEAFC Electronic Reporting System is underway. Its task is to ensure the transparent exchange of fishing data and strengthen the fight against illegal fishing.
VNIRO Press Service
