restricted the Soviet crab fishery to the eastern Bering 

 Sea, placed a quota on Soviet production, and provided 

 for certain conservation measures to be observed. The 

 annual Soviet production quota for each of the 2 years 

 1965 and 1966 was established at 118,600 

 twenty-four-pound cases. The agreement specified that 

 the two nations would meet prior to expiration of the 

 agreement to decide on future arrangements.^ 



SHRIMP FISHERY 



The newest Soviet fishery off Alaska is that for 

 shrimp (fig. 17). Until the early 1960's shrimp fishing by 

 the Soviet Far East was confined to inshore waters along 

 the Soviet coast (Kundis and Skalkin, 1962), apparently 

 because of the lack of appropriate trawlers for shrimp 

 fishing in distant waters. In 1962-63 the Soviets 

 developed and began producing the Mavak-chss SRTM 

 freezer trawler, which proved highly suitable for 

 distant-water shrimp fishing. Shortly thereafter the 

 Soviets capitalized on the findings of earlier exploratory 

 work and began catching shrimp on Alaska's Continental 

 Shelf. 



The first known Soviet shrimp fishery off Alaska was 

 in 1963 north of the Pribilof Islands. Officers of a 

 Japanese shrimp factory sliip reported that six BMRT 

 factory trawlers fished briefly in that area from 

 mid-March to mid-April. Two new SRTM trawlers fished 

 in the same area in 1964 from February until mid-June. 



In late October 1964 two SRTM's entered the Gulf of 

 Alaska and began shrimping off the southwest end of 

 Kodiak Island. The two trawlers continued fishing in this 

 area until early December. 



Soviet SRTM freezer trawler fishing for shrimp near the 

 Shumagin Islands in the Gulf of Alaska. The cod end of the trawl 

 being brought aboard the SRTM has several hundred pounds of 

 shrimp. This class of trawler has facilities for sharp freezing and 

 refrigerated storage and has been the mainstay of the Soviet 

 shrimp fishing fleet off Alaska. 



Shrimp on deck of a Soviet SRTM freezer trawler near the 

 Shumagin Islands in the Gulf of Alaska. After being sorted, the 

 freshly caught shrimp pass through a rotary washer and then go 

 below decks where they are sharp-frozen, packaged, and stored. 



A major increase in the Soviet Gulf of Alaska shrimp 

 fishery occurred in 1965 when six SRTM's resumed 

 fishing near southwest Kodiak Island in early February. 

 By April the fleet had increased to eight trawlers. In May 

 the fishery shifted to the Shumagin Islands area and 

 continued into June. The Soviets abandoned the Gulf 

 shrimp fishery during the summer except for a brief 

 period in late July wiien a few SRTM's fished near the 

 Shumagin Islands. In early October this fishery resumed 

 and by late October had eight trawlers. In November 

 four of the SRTM's returned to the southwest Kodiak 

 Island region, and by the end of 1965 five SRTM's were 

 fishing in each of the two abovementioned areas. I 

 estimate the Soviets caught about 8,000 tons of shrimp 

 in the Gulf of Alaska in 1965. 



Early in 1966 the fishery became centered in the 

 Shumagin Islands area and by the end of the year had a 

 record high number of vessels. In early February the five 

 SRTM's fishing near the Trinity Islands joined their 



In January 1967 the Agreement was extended for an 

 additional 2 years (1967-68). The only significant change was 

 the reduction of the Soviets' annual catch to 100,000 cases. 



Soviet SRTM freezer trawler transferring shrimp to canning 

 factory ship in Gulf of Alaska. When shrimp are canned on the 

 fishing grounds, they are held on deck of the SRTM trawlers and 

 periodically delivered to a factory ship. 



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