3.3 



UKRAINE 



In the former Soviet Union, the fishery fleets of all republics operated as a unit divided 

 only by the various fishing regions. This system, which prevailed for the past 40 years, was 

 suddenly disrupted by the new political arrangements. Each independent country now had to 

 organize its own support and transportation activities and obtain its own fuel. Ukraine has no 

 oil resources and must, therefore, buy diesel oil from Russia or other countries. In addition, 

 the bilateral agreements negotiated by the former Soviet Ministry of Fisheries are no longer 

 valid. The Russian Federation, as the internationally recognized successor state to the Soviet 

 Union, took over most of these agreements. Independent Ukraine has had to make new 

 arrangements to obtain access to foreign 200-mile fishery zones. Ukraine has a sizeable fishing 

 fleet, but it is aging — the average age of fishing vessels is 14 years old. The future of the 

 Ukrainian fishing industry is uncertain and will depend on its ability to obtain sufficient fishery 

 resources to maintain the fleets' operations and to provide abundant protein to the domestic 

 population. 



CONTENTS 



I. Background 150 



II. Fishing Fleet 150 



A. High-seas Fleet 151 



B. Fleet Reduction 151 



C. Vessel Classes 151 



D. Domestic Shipyards 151 



III. Catch and Grounds 152 



A. Fisheries Catch 152 



B. Fishing Grounds 153 



IV. Fisheries Administration 154 



V. Bilateral Fishery Agreements and Joint Ventures 154 



VI. Fishery Companies 155 



VII. Outlook 157 



Sources 157 



Endnotes 158 



Appendices 160 



