Deputy Head of Rosrybolovstvo Vasily Sokolov: Russia effectively counters IUU fishing
Photo: © RIA
Ahead of the Fisherman's Day, celebrated this year on 12 July, Vasily Sokolov, Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo), gave an interview to the FAO Liaison Office with the Russian Federation on issues related to the development of the industry.
FAO: Dear Vasily Igorevich, we sincerely congratulate You and all employees of the Russian fishing industry on their professional holiday – Fisherman's Day. The basis for the well-being of fisherfolk is the state of the fishing base, its reproduction through sustainable use. What damage does Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU Fishing) cause to Russia's fishery resources? How is your country combating these illegal activities?
Vasily Sokolov: On the one hand, we can talk about the apparent success in the fight against poaching, illegal fishing. We estimate that more than 90 percent of the products that are exported to the countries in the Far East and the Pacific are of a legal origin. More countries are joining in to counter IUU fishing. The realization of the issue comes along with depleted reserves, the increase in the world population and, consequently, the growing demand for high-quality protein, which is fish. On the other hand, of course, there is still room for improvement.
In Russia, a legal framework has been formed. In December 2013 by a decree of the Russian Government, the National Action Plan to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing was approved. The document defined the concept and main directions of countering poaching. In 2015, the Checklist of measures to implement the Action Plan was approved.
In essence, the Action Plan stipulates that Russia constantly ramps up efforts to counteract IUU fishing with the goal to eradicate this phenomenon once and for all. Considering the volumes of aquatic bioresources and their products exported from the territory of the Russian Federation, the Federal Agency for Fishery is collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Customs Service and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.
The Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo) also operates on the inter-governmental level: it has concluded agreements with all the countries of the Asia-Pacific region to control the legality of the origin of aquatic bioresources and their products. Currently, Russia is working on expanding the list of hydrobionts, the legality of the fishing of which must be established. For example, we are currently working on the issue of amending the existing agreement with the Republic of Korea. This country ranks second in terms of Russian imports of aquatic bioresources and their products. The conclusion of such international agreements will allow us to control the legality of origin of about 97 percent of Russia’s fishery exports.
At the same time, existing legal mechanisms embedded, in particular, in international law, exports’ geography, and a few other factors do not allow forming a unified control system over all Russian export and import of aquatic bioresources. Therefore, with the participation of the Rosrybolovstvo, the recommendations of the FAO Technical Advisory Committee on the development of fishing traceability were developed that will allow to set up a global system for establishing and confirming the legal origin of the aquatic bioresources. These recommendations were endorsed at the 40thsession of the FAO Conference.
With regard to the national legislation, we intend, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Security Service, the Federal Customs Service of Russia and the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor), to prepare proposals for amending legal acts that will allow us to create a mandatory certification system of the legal origin of fish and fishery products' export and import. At the same time, we consider it necessary to include in the Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union provisions that will determine the certificate of the legal origin of aquatic bioresources as a customs document within the EEU.
FAO: Russia signed the 2009 FAO Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, but has not yet ratified this document. The accession of Russia to the Agreement would serve as a powerful example to all other countries, and for Russia it would provide an opportunity to more actively participate in international cooperation on this track. What is the status of the ratification procedure?
Vasily Sokolov: Russia attaches particular importance to mechanisms to counter poaching of aquatic bioresources. The Agreement on Port State Measures is very important, as this is the first binding international treaty that aims to combat illegal fishing. The Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo) sent proposals to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, where they were reviewed and approved. Now, all the necessary documents for ratification are in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In accordance with Checklist of measures to implement the Action Plan aimed at preventing, deterring and eliminating IUU fishing, national procedures for the ratification of the Agreement are already close to being completed.
FAO: The obligations of states to combat IUU fishing are also recorded in the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance. How does Russia apply this document, which was developed with its active participation, in respect of fishing vessels under its flag?
Vasily Sokolov: There is no doubt that the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance are duly taken into account when implementing the set of measures to counter IUU fishing.
A number of measures have already been taken or are in the process of being applied, such as, for example: the registration system for Russian fishing vessels is being improved; the work is underway to strengthen fish conservation, using, in particular, new technology and equipment, and to strengthen interagency cooperation; and accountability for violating industry legislation on fisheries is being tightened.
In addition, Russia has established liability for the violation of the provisions of Russia’s international treaties on fisheries and the conservation of aquatic bioresources; responsibility for dumping of the IUU fishing products and fishing tools overboard during its pursuit, as well as the procedure for using video and photo materials as evidence of such an offense; equal liability for illegal fishing both on the continental shelf within the internal sea waters and the territorial sea of the Russian Federation, and outside the territorial sea of our country; the right of officials of authorized federal executive bodies of Russia to seize fish and other products obtained as a result of IUU fishing.
FAO: Thank you, Vasily Igorevich! Thank you for the interview. We wish solid health, full trawls and good luck to all Russian fishermen, fish processing workers and their families!
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