Main results of the work of AtlantNIRO observers in fisheries in ocean areas in 2020 and prospects for their activities
This report continues the series of publications on the annual reviews of work results of AtlantNIRO scientific observers on fishing vessels in different parts of the World ocean. In 2020 AtlantNIRO scientific observers worked in the blue whiting and beaked redfish fisheries in the Northern Atlantic (area west of the British Islands, fishing zone of the Faroe Islands, Irminger Sea, NAFO and NEAFC regulatory areas), in the exploitation of small pelagic species (horse mackerels, scomber, European pilchard) in the Central-Eastern Atlantic (on bilateral intergovernmental agreement in the Atlantic fishing zone of Morocco and the exclusive economic zone of Mauritania), in the Chilean jack mackerel fishery in the South-Eastern Pacific Ocean (open waters of the SPRFMO regulatory area including Nazca Ridge). In total, observers worked 794 man-days in fisheries, during the trips 554 trawling were processed, 202 thousand of fish were measured, 29 thousand of fish specimens were subjected to biological analysis, 8 thousand of specimens were taken as samples for the age. The amount of material collected in 2020 was lower than in 2019 due to lack of fishing in the Morocco area for most of the year because the Intergovernmental Russian-Moroccan Agreement on Marine Fisheries had expired. Prospects for observers work in the AtlantNIRO fisheries under intergovernmental agreements between the Russian Federation and coastal West African countries and also within the framework of international and regional organizations have remained positive. Amendments and additions to the Russian Federation regulatory instruments regarding the activities of Russian observers on Russian fishing fleet are currently required.