The showcase for Russia''s fishery and fleet-building marine industry runs from 22-25 June this year in St. Petersburg and exhibitors and promoters include, the State Committee for fishery of Russia, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Russian Agency for Shipbuilding and the unions of fishery production for the North, North-West and Far East Regions.
After several years of toing and froing and some confusion, the lead partner now is the ministry of agriculture, a press release said.
This is the 9th International fishery and fleet exhibition (INRYBPROM-2004) and the Lenexpo Complex will give visitors some idea of how big the total maritime industry is and what is on offer for new vessels, nets and trawls as well as the push to update seafood production through other sectors.
Inevitably, there is a Russian plan for growth, approved in 2001 by President Vladimir Putin. According to the press release "Russia will remain as one of the leaders of the fishery economic activities in the World, which total volume is estimated as 35-40 billion USD annual turnover, and will continue as a big player within the World fishery strategy development, the fishery industry and management of fishery resources is seen in that case as one of the most significant State and business priorities."
Forecasts say the Russian fishing will need 550 big and medium size fishery vessels and about 500 small fishery vessels by 2012. The estimated cost is put at $2,5,bn. Further, they will need to buy in more than 50% of the total volume of ships and ship's equipment from International shipbuilders and equipment manufacturers.
The Russian Government has prioritised changes in the law to make it possible for shipowners to get investment and place orders and the latter should grow by four to five times the current level.
As part of this the Russian Government cancelled taxes from June 2002 on Russian-flagged vessels built by foreign shipyards.
Russian participants were predominant with exhibitors from Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Kaliningrad- Baltic Region, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk-North Sea Region, Astrakhan-Caspian Region, Nizhny Novgorod -Central Region and the Far East.
Apart from the usual fishery, landside processing, ship-building and equipment stands there will also be expertise on display for port and terminal operations, aquaculture and reproduction of fish and biological resources, and fish extraction and technology.
(For details on exhibiting and visiting: www.setcorp.ru/eng/inrybprom)
