On the eve of the Fisherman's Day, a regular meeting of the territorial Fisheries Council was held under the chairmanship of Governor Andrey Chibis.
"We are holding a meeting on the eve of the main holiday of all those who have connected their lives with the sea and the fishing industry – Fisherman's Day. This is a good reason not only to discuss important issues, but also to express gratitude to the people who develop the fishing industry of the Murmansk region with their daily work. Thank you to your colleagues for their professionalism, responsible work and contribution to the development of one of the key industries in our region," said Andrey Chibis.
He presented Memorable addresses of the Governor of the Murmansk Region to representatives of the Association of Shipowners of the Fishing Fleet, the Russian Crab Group of Companies, the Union of Fishermen of the North and the Murman Seafood company.
During the meeting, the participants discussed key issues of industry development, staffing, as well as the revival of the greatness of the main holiday of all those who connected their lives with the sea.
"Despite the volatile geopolitical situation and new challenges, the industry is showing significant achievements and victories. In the first 5 months of this year, export revenue increased by 50%. This is a very good indicator. Salaries are growing, an increase of almost 14% compared to the same period last year. The Murmansk Region remains one of the leaders of the Russian fisheries sector. The region's share in the total Russian catch is 9% – every 11th ton is caught in the Murmansk region. In January–May 2026 alone, the total catch of aquatic biological resources exceeded 143 thousand tons," said Andrey Chibis.
Thanks to the joint work of the Murmansk Region Government and the fisheries industry, a number of key decisions have been achieved. So, from September 1, 2026, a law will come into force allowing the processing of cod liver on board coastal vessels. Amateur crab and fish fishing is organized. The issue of excluding the requirements for dilapidated vessels is being considered. An initiative was supported to eliminate legal uncertainty regarding the export of fish products processed at plants in coastal regions from coastal fisheries catches.
"A number of developed initiatives are being worked out with the federal authorities, I thank all my colleagues for their help and support in promoting issues so important for the region," the governor said.
Svetlana Panfilova, Minister of Arctic Development and Economy, emphasized that the basic sector of the Murmansk Region's economy has faced certain challenges and difficulties in recent years.
"And we must pay due respect to the companies. In such a situation in the geopolitical space, they quickly find solutions: they improve logistics and ship supply. Despite the difficult situation in the industry, we can still talk about its sustainability: the company continues its activities, ships go to sea," said Svetlana Panfilova.
The Governor stressed that ensuring human resources is the most important issue for the future development of companies.
As explained by Diana Kuznetsova, Minister of Education and Science of the Murmansk Region, two key areas are for fisheries enterprises: navigation on sea routes, operation of marine equipment and aquatic biological resources and aquaculture in the Arctic region.
"Orientation towards the professions necessary for the fishing industry begins from school. The Governor's Lyceum has been opened in Murmansk, which implements the direction "Arctic Bioresources and Biotechnologies". This direction is synchronized with the studies at UIA. It is important to understand that the first graduation from the lyceum will take place in 2027. These guys will become our highly qualified personnel reserve, but they are already forming a demand for high–quality professional education," said Diana Kuznetsova.
The Murmansk Marine Fisheries College named after I.I. Mesyatsev remains the basis of all engineering training in the industry. He will be 94 years old in 2026. Today, the college annually graduates more than 300 people with a total contingent of over 1,700 students, remaining a key supplier of middle command staff. To ensure recruitment, systematic work is underway with schools: excursions to the partner's production sites, including the live crab overexposure workshop, have been organized, and the institute of Professional Ambassadors has been launched from among the best students to work with graduating students.
In addition, the first facility of the Coastal Training Center has been installed and put into operation at UIA. It is recognized as the best among civilian universities in the country – it is the pride of the Murmansk region and a key resource for personnel training.
/Ministry of Information Policy of the Murmansk Region/