Korea-Russia Launch Fishery Talks from 22nd

The Korea-Russia Fishery Committee will be held to negotiate next year`s fishing quota and the fishing conditions on 22nd-27th at Seoul.

And the 2nd Korea-Japan foreign affairs and fishery officials meeting will be open to deal with the saury fishing issue in the waters off the southern Kuril Islands on 21st and 22nd at Tokyo, Japan.

A high-ranking official of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) said yesterday, "Russia and Japan seemed to have reached a final agreement to ban the third country`s fishing in the waters off the southern Kuril Islands. So, in the Korea-Russia and Korea-Japan talks, we will discuss intensively the measures against the prohibition of the third country fishing."

The ministry is considering the following measures; ▲ Russia offers the alternative saury fishing place in the northern Kuril Islands, ▲ Korea-Russia joint company continues the fishing in waters off the southern Kuril Islands, ▲ Japan permits the saury fishing within 35 sea miles of Sariku waters, instead of the Kuril waters.

The Russian side is highly possible to suggest first two measures in these talks. But the domestic marine product industry circles expressed the opposing opinions that the Korea-Russia joint fishing was actually impossible, and the alternative fishing place lacked the economical efficiency. And since the Japanese side will not try to accept the third measure, it will be hard to find the solution that all of three countries can satisfy.

The MMAF is not expecting any problem in receiving the fishing quota of almost the same amount as that of last year ▲ pollack 35,000 ton, ▲ cod 2,500 ton, ▲herring 3,000 ton, ▲ squid 5,000 ton, etc.. It is because Yevgeni Nazdratenko, chairman of the Russian State Fishing Committee, showed the positive response when Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Yoo Sam-Nam visited Russia last month. The government plans to suggest Russia to increase to a larger amount where the quota of pollack is largest quantities in Russia.

Kwang-Am Cheon iam@donga.com