All three CIS countries are currently undergoing a major shake-up of their economic 

 systems. In Russia, the slow process of reform, until recently hindered by a conservative 

 parliament, has made privatization more of a hope than a reality. In Ukraine, a severe economic 

 depression has negatively affected the fishing industry. According to one report, only a third 

 of the Ukrainian high-seas fishing fleet is deployed in harvesting aquatic resources. Georgia has 

 been racked by civil war since January 1992 and no information is available on the fate of its 

 fishing fleet following the invasion and occupation of its main fishing port at Poti by rebel troops 

 on October 10, 1993. All CIS republics suffer from an inability to provide their fishing fleets 

 with sufficient quantities of diesel fuel in a timely manner. Confirmed reports indicate that at 

 times as much as a half of the Russian fleet was idling in various ports because of fuel 

 shortages. Other reports describe an even worse situation whereby vessels already deployed on 

 the high-seas had to stop their fishing operations because fuel tankers did not reach them on 

 time. The authors have been unable to verify any fuel shortages in Ukraine or Georgia, but it 

 must be assumed that a similar, if not worse, situation also prevails there. 



The future of the CIS fishing fleets will depend on the ability of the three countries to 

 obtain the necessary access to fishery resources to maintain the fleets' operations and provide 

 abundant protein to the domestic population. Also important is the export of fishery products 

 to earn hard currencies with which to modernize and replace the fleet, purchase diesel fuel, and 

 support operations in foreign fishing zones. Joint fishery ventures with foreign companies and 

 arrangements to lease, charter, or sell fishery vessels will become an important part of the future 

 activities of the CIS fishery administrators. Russia has a natural advantage because its 200-mile 

 exclusive economic zone contains some of the most prolific fishing grounds in the world. 

 Ukrainian high-seas fishing operations will probably have to be reduced along with the fleet. 

 The prospects for the Georgian fleet are bleak and it remains to be seen whether it can continue 

 functioning. 



Photo l.—7}ie former Soviel BMRT Belelgeze of the iMihegorsk class litis been reflagged to the Russian Federation. 



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