409 
But the Soviet fishing off Brazil was similarly short-lived. In early 
1971, that country began to enforce its newly-claimed fishery limits 
of 200 miles and closed off its coastal waters to foreign fishermen. 
Negotiations between Brazil and several countries which traditionally 
fished off her coasts were soon initiated, but it is believed, that the 
U.S.S.R. has not approached the Brazilian Government to obtain such 
privileges. As matters stand now, there are no opportunities for Soviet 
fleets to fish off eastern South America. In 1973, the U.S.S.R. caught 
there only 6,000 tons, a negligible contribution to its total catch 
(less than 1/10th of 1 percent). 
In the Southeast Atlantic, most Soviet fishing takes place off the 
coasts of South Africa, Namibia, and Angola. 
Pacific Ocean 
The Pacific, the second most productive fishing area for Soviet 
fishermen, contributed about 2.8 million tons to the total catch in 
1973, or one third of the total. Most of this catch came for the 
Northwest Pacific encompassing the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan 
and the waters off Japan, the Kurile Islands, and the Kamchatka 
Peninsula. (See fig. 7.) 
In the northeast Pacific region, which includes fishing grounds in 
the Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska, and off the Pacific northwest 
(Washington and Oregon states), the Soviets harvest in excess of 
0.5 million tons. In this area, as well as in the northwest Pacific, 
the U.S.S.R. is beginning to catch large amounts of Alaska pollock 
(1.3 million tons in 1973) in competition with the Japanese (3 million 
tons) and Korean (0.3 million tons) fishermen. Much will depend 
on the status of this species in determining whether the Soviet catches 
in the northern Pacific will continue to expand. Some U.S. scientists 
believe that the Alaska pollock catches are rapidly approaching the 
level of maximum sustainable yield and that limitations on their uncon- 
trolled exploitation will become necessary to prevent the depletion 
of the species. 
Soviet catches in the eastern central Pacific consist mostly of Pacific 
hake taken off California and the Pacific Northwest. This fishery 
has been expanding rapidly since 1973 and substantially larger catches 
were taken in 1974 and especially in 1975. Soviet fishing off Mexico 
and the western coasts of Central American countries is minimal. 
Depite its increasing significance, the eastern central Pacific con- 
tributed only 5 percent to the Soviet Pacific catches (and less than 
2 percent of the total catch). 
In the Southwest Pacific, off Australia and New Zealand, the 
U.S.S.R. sent over 20 research and exploratory vessels in late 
1965 1* to determine what fishery resources were available. Commer- 
cial fishing in this area, begun in 1971, is increasing rapidly, and 
will probably continue to do so. 
What is being caught by the Soviets off the western coast of Latin 
America in the southeast Pacific is not known. Chile, Peru, and 
Ecuador all claim 200-mile fishery zones which the Soviets generally 
respect. It is possible that the small catches (39,000 tons) represent 
fish which the Allende Government in Chile permitted the Soviets 
to catch within the Chilean 200-mile zone in exchange for fisheries 
assistance. 
16 The project was known as the “Lira Expedition” named after the stern trawler Lira. 
