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# 1, 1996


WE ENGAGE IN CATCHING THAT GIVES US A CHANCE TO SURVIVE

Vladimir GORSHECHNIKOV,
the President of the Sakhalin Fishermen Association.
The ex-governor of Sakhalin Mr. Fyodorov appointed him as a vice-governor responsible for the development of fish industry. Only for five months could Vladimir Gorshechnikov stand it. Then he retired as his ideas of fishery development were completely different from the governor's. Today Gorshechnikov also thinks that it is a wrong policy to "produce" companies within a limited fishing grounds. Such policy can destroy the resources. He was very negative about privatization of state enterprises which led to their full destruction. And it were state enterprises that gave the main part of total production. On the contrary, it is necessary to provide help for the state companies in order to have them reorganized under new economic conditions.
In the very beginning our share capital was 100 million roubles. In March 1994 it was 1 biillion roubles already. Today the Sakhalin Fishermen Association is recognized by all the authorities.
As the president of the Association I became a member of the Regional Fishery Board.
Taking into consideration our experience the Fishery Committee made a permanent agreement with us declaring us a general executor of scientific research programs in the Sakhalin-Kuril basin. The Association consisits of more than 100 fishing enterprises. The main purpose of our Association is to coordinate fishing, to find work for the enterpises, to provide help for them, to protect their interests at all levels. Besides, our responsibility is to provide help for the SAKHTINRO, fishery scientific research institute. It is necessary to have close cooperation of scientists and fishermen.
Lately scientific programs of the institute were out of touch with needs of fishermen and they were not sufficiently financed. We try to provide financing for scientific research. In 1993 members of our Association provided about 2 billion roubles for the institute to support the programs dealing with prognosis and perspective. These funds were used for the construction projects, for purchasing computers, equipment for the laboratories and diving. The results appeared immediately. In summer, working on our vessels the scientists carried out research of four very important for us objects: sea perch, hairy crab, flatfish and a new fishing object, sandfish. This object was studied on request of Japanese fishermen.
We try to engage in catching that gives us a chance to survive. Our fishermen have never been taught to «turn» money. Fish industry aways was a subsidized branch. And we do not have any subsidies now, although it is still in practice in many countries. Calculation has been made that world fishing industry output makes 73 billion dollars with expenses of 90 billion dollars. So we found ourselves deserted. Location close to Japan is favourable for Sakhalin fish industry. Japan eagerly takes crab, shrimp, sea urchin, fish. Sandfish catching, in Japanese this fish is called "hata-hata", seems to be profitable for us. It sells in Japan for 1500 yen per kilo and is very profitable for offshore fishing. Season starts in September, after salmon season, and this is a good chance to provide people with work.

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