OREANDA-NEWS. December 01, 2009. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) initiated an antimonopoly case against the Federal Fishery Agency (Rosrybolovstvo) in relation to canceling of an auction for awarding quotas for harvesting Pacific salmon in the economic zone of the Russian Federation, that should have taken place in August 2009, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

FAS Russia received numerous complaints from the Russian fishery industries when t Rosrybolovstvo canceled the auction for awarding quotas for harvesting Pacific salmon in the economic zone of the Russian Federation three days before the deadline for filing the bids.

In the opinion of Russian enterprises and associations, as a result of canceling the auction by Rosrybolovstvo, not only the fishery companies were deprived of a possibility to harvest Pacific salmon in 2009, but they also incurred considerable damages. The Russian fishery industries estimate their losses at 1 billion Rubles and the losses for the federal budget - at 500 million Rubles. The non-received profit of companies is estimated at over 2.5 billion Rubles.

Also, according to the petitioners, such actions of Rosrybolovstvo give advantages for access to the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation to foreign users. The quotas for foreign states were allocated in full and, as a consequence, Japanese fishery organizations, contrary to the Russian enterprises, were given a possibility to capture Pacific salmon.

In accordance with No.602 Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 12th August 2008, regulating the auction procedures, auctions can be cancelled no later than ten days before the deadline for filing the bids.

According to Rachik Petrosyan, the Head of the FAS Russia's Department for Housing& Utilities, Construction and Natural Resources, the actions of Rosrybolovstvo for cancelling the auction at a later stage not only violate the auction procedures established by Government of the Russian Federation, but also prevent activities of the Russian fishery enterprises and have the signs of antimonopoly violations.

The case is scheduled for hearing on 23rd December 2009.