FAS announced a possible monopolization of the market for the production of crab and certain types of fish

The redistribution of quotas for the harvest of crab and certain types of fish in competitions under the second stage of the investment program may lead to “prevention, restriction and elimination of competition.” Such an assessment is given in an official letter from the Federal Antimonopoly Service to the Ministry of Agriculture, signed by Deputy Head of the FAS Russia Sergey Puzyrevsky. The assessment was given in preparation for the meeting of the government commission for the development of the fishery complex, which is scheduled for July 25. Vedomosti has a copy of the letter. The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed its receipt.

The law on the second stage of the investment quota program was adopted at the end of 2022. Within its framework, it is planned to redistribute 50% of all rights to harvest crab and 24% – pollock, herring and a number of other fish species in the Far East. The first stage took place in 2018-2020, when 50% of the quotas for crab and 20% for fish were played through auctions. In return, the investors pledged to build 64 fishing vessels and 41 crabs, as well as 27 fish processing plants. At the moment, 16 ships and 25 enterprises have been commissioned. The Federal Agency for Fishery expects that following the results of the second stage, according to the plan, bidding for which should begin in 2023, another 45 vessels and 17 plants will be built.