Russian Fishing 2

[Yazmín Bohon]

Back in the before times, before the fires and the disease came, you could feed bread to ducks without being cancelled by the bird police. Just grab a sliced pan of wholewheat Warburtons and hurl it into a lake, then watch as every duck, swan and anaemic-looking goose in the postcode descended upon it in a feathery gale, quacking and honking and feasting in a sordid maelstrom of avian debauchery. Now, say the bird police, it is only appropriate to feed fresh organic frozen peas to the ducks, otherwise their insides will turn to slime and their beaks will go soft and drop off.

Even the most patient of fishing fans would become disheartened by the pace of this simulation, which is slowed even further by the glacial grind of selling your puny catches to afford better equipment, as well as the gradual levelling up required to visit better fishing spots. Geared towards pushing you into a microtransaction or two, progress is tuned to be mildly arduous and is, by the very nature of being a simulation, entirely removed from the real world benefits of impaling fish on tiny hooks for fun. Standing alone on a riverbank eating egg sandwiches, drinking tea and sucking down great lungfuls of clean country air is nourishment to the body and mind.

And so, I put my rod down and step away from the riverbank, turning to face the surrounding woods. An invisible wall prevents me from leaving the designated fishing zone, though with some well-timed sprinting and probing of the fence I manage to break out of this glass cage. I push on into the wilderness, the trees gradually losing their definition until they are simple cardboard cutouts. I am a goldfish escaped from its bowl. The landscape flattens out into a featureless plain.

Russian Fishing 4 is a fishing simulator game developed by Russian game studio FishSoft.[1] The game was released in 2018 and is available on PC via Steam. It provides a realistic fishing experience with abundant available fishing techniques, equipments, environments, and fish species. It is free on Steam, with microtransaction options available.

In Russian Fishing 4, players start with a basic fishing setup of both rod and baits, and can earn money by catching fish and completing quests from cafe. The money can be used to upgrade fishing gears, buy new equipments and access new fishing locations.[2]

The game features a variety of fishing techniques, such as float fishing, bottom fishing, spinning. Players can also choose from different types of baits and lures, such as worms, vegetables, and bait fish.

The game features a wide range of 110 fish species,[3] such as pike, perch, chinese sleeper, bream, frog, shellfish, etc. Each fish species has its unique behavior and requires different fishing techniques and equipments to catch.

The game's graphics and sound effects are designed to provide a fairly realistic fishing experience, with detailed water effects, realistic fish movements, and ambient sounds of nature. The game also features dynamic weather and day-night cycles, which can affect fishing conditions.

Russian Fishing 4 was released for early access on 15 June 2018, and officially released on 11 November 2021.[3] The game currently has 15 fishing maps, and the developer is still making new maps for future updates.[4]

But more sweeping changes is Norway introducing new restrictions for Russian fishing vessels at the three Norwegian ports partially exempt from the port ban. Currently, Norway has closed all its ports to Russian vessels, with the exception of Troms, Btsfjord and Kirkenes ports, which are partially open to Russian fishing vessels. This meant that Russian fishing vessels could call at these three ports and be allowed to unload fish, change crew and resupply. In addition, the vessels had no restriction on how long they could stay at berth in the three ports.

However, this will change under the new restrictions introduced last week. Norwegian government said that the time Russian fishing vessels can dock in these three ports will be limited to a maximum of five working days, or seven days when including weekends and holidays. Further, a minimum of three days must pass since the previous stay in a port on mainland Norway. Russian fishing vessels will only be allowed to access specific terminals or quays in the three ports cleared to receive Russian vessels.

In this regard, the government directed that the customs service must cooperate closely with the Norwegian State police by sharing information. The military must also continue to monitor all maritime activity and share information with other agencies.

The Norway-Russia fisheries agreement remains one of the few still existing cooperation areas between the two countries. The agreement ensures long-term management of the cod stock and other species in the Barents Sea.

Small-scale fishermen in many developing countries suffer from governments that are unable or unwilling to police their waters, yet are happy to sell fishing rights to foreign industrial fleets, often pocketing a few bribes along the way. It is encouraging that Senegal looks intent on overcoming these ills.

Amongst the 29 foreign trawlers that lost their licences to fish off Senegal in 2012 were nine Russian vessels, several of them with a record of IUU fishing. The Russian Federal Fisheries Agency (RFFA) has never seemed very interested in ensuring its fleet off West Africa fishes legally. When Greenpeace publicized the 2012 incident with the Oleg Naydenov, the Agency at first denied anything illegal had happened, and then refused to explain why not after being presented with detailed evidence. The Vice Prime Minister also failed to respond to a letter from Greenpeace Russia asking him to put an end to illegal fishing by Russian vessels off West Africa.

Fiskebt, the Norwegian fisheries organisation, has raised alarms over suspected actions by Russian vessels fishing for small fish in the Russian zone within the Barents Sea. Such activities, if confirmed, could potentially breach the fisheries agreement between Norway and Russia.

In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries, Fiskebt urges Norwegian authorities to engage with their Russian counterparts to discuss protective measures for small fish within the Russian zone.

The practice of closing and opening fishing grounds in the Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea has been in effect in Norway since the mid-1980s to safeguard young fish. The protection of juvenile fish is considered a crucial step in ensuring sustainable management of stocks and securing a robust economic return from fishing resources.

Norway has successfully advocated for similar regulations in the Russian zone, emphasising the importance of closing fishing grounds with a high presence of undersized fish. Recent quota negotiations between Norway and Russia highlighted the shared commitment to improve monitoring and control measures for fishing on common fish stocks.

The protocol specifies minimum sizes for cod and haddock, and it allows for a limited mixing of cod, haddock, and pollock. If this limit is exceeded, the parties agree to close the relevant area. Fiskebt asserts that the Russian authorities may not be consistently adhering to the agreement on closing areas with a high prevalence of undersized fish in the Russian zone.

The protocol states that the minimum size for cod is 44 cm and the minimum size for haddock is 40 cm. A total mixing of cod, haddock and pollock below a minimum of 15 percent of the total number of cod, haddock and pollock in each catch is permitted. If this limit is exceeded, the relevant area must be closed, the parties agree, according to the protocol from the negotiations.

In recent months, 10-15 Norwegian conventional vessels have been fishing for haddock and cod in the Russian zone. The reason for this is that the mixing of haddock is traditionally higher in the Russian zone than in the Norwegian zone.

Norwegian vessels targeting haddock and cod in the Russian zone reported observing significant amounts of small fish. Fiskebt expresses concern over the lack of follow-up by Russian authorities on closing fishing grounds with an excess of undersized fish, potentially affecting the critical growing area for cod and haddock.

Given the declining trend in stocks of Northeast Arctic cod and haddock, protecting fry and young fish becomes paramount for a potential recovery in the coming years. Fiskebt emphasises the need for collaboration to ensure responsible fishing practices and safeguard the sustainability of marine resources.

Some of the most popular spots for fly fishing trips are the Kola Peninsula, as well as some parts of Kamchatka. Dry fly fishing, as well as mouse fishing, are by far the most used and productive setups.

In the middle of the winter, even the rivers in the biggest cities like Saint Petersburg and Moscow are completely frozen for months. On the weekends, you can see early-bird anglers dotted all over the river, patiently waiting for their fish.

If you decide to give ice fishing a try, make sure to head out with someone who knows the ice very well. The best bite is available towards the beginning of spring, when the ice is thinnest, which makes the fishing very risky. Remember to stay safe and, of course, have fun.

Catfish and Carp are the most common targets, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Zander jigging is also very popular in spring, while you can do some trolling for it in the summer. You could also easily land Northern Pike, Asp, Bass, and various Roach species.

When someone mentions Kamchatka to fishermen, chances are their first thought will be Salmon! And they would be right. This is one of the few places in Russia where you can target all five species of Pacific Salmon, as well as Steelhead.

The best time to go fishing in Kamchatka is usually in July and August when both Steelhead and Salmon make their way to the rivers. Fly fishermen in particular love coming here, because the fish are big and feisty, which makes them a bigger challenge.

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