Japanese fish boats: Greenland Halibut fishing in open part of the Sea of Okhotsk

Abstract

In the central open part of the Sea of Okhotsk there is an international moratorium on fishing. The basis of moratorium is legal acts of Russian Federation and international treaties. Russia has special rights to the fish resources of the Sea of Okhotsk, including the central part. At the same time, in this enclave there has been a fishery for Greenland Halibut by Japanese fishing vessels for 36 years. This fishing has a small scale. Nevertheless, the Government of Japan annually receives confirmation from Russia to continue this fishing. The Sea of Okhotsk in the international legal aspect has a number of features, and the situation changes periodically. The article discusses the various conditions associated with this fishery.