Discussions continue in Kamchatka and other Far Eastern regions on the timing of the renegotiation of contracts for the use of fishing grounds. Representatives of the fishing industry and lawmakers express concern about the proposed changes, which may negatively affect the economy of the regions and the industry as a whole.
Irina Untilova, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Kamchatka Territory, reports that the topic of renegotiating fishing contracts has caused a wide response in the Far East. According to her, over the past 16 years, Kamchatka enterprises have invested 154 billion rubles in the development of production and construction of ships, and their contribution to the socio-economic development of the region amounted to 3 billion rubles.
However, in recent years, the fisheries sector has faced a number of challenges, including an increase in the collection rate for aquatic biological resources, an increase in production costs and sanctions. This has led to a decrease in the number of profitable enterprises and a lack of available funds for new investments. In such conditions, according to industry representatives, high interest rates on loans make it impossible to raise borrowed funds, which can lead to users abandoning fishing grounds.
Irina Untilova emphasizes that the current draft law on the renegotiation of contracts raises many questions that have not yet been answered. She notes that it is necessary to calculate how it will affect the work of the industry and people’s lives. At the moment, according to her, there is no agreement on the procedure for determining the amount of payment for land plots and the mechanism for forming their boundaries. In addition, the proposed date of entry into force of the law contradicts the current legislation.
In this regard, the Kamchatka Territory is taking a legislative initiative to postpone the deadline for renegotiation of contracts until December 2026. This initiative is supported by six other Far Eastern regions. Earlier, the Federation Council also expressed its readiness to apply to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation with a request to introduce installment payments for fishing areas.