Japan, Russia strike fishing quota deal despite tensions over Ukraine

Japan and Russia have reached an agreement over Tokyo’s annual catch quota for Russian-born salmon and trout.

The deal was announced by the Japanese Fisheries Agency on Saturday despite chilled relations between the two sides over the conflict in Ukraine.

The agreement on Japan's quota for the popular fish in waters near disputed islands north of Hokkaido is a relief for Japanese fishermen who were worried about the prospects amid worsening ties between the two governments.

Japan and Russia concluded talks on Friday, setting a catch quota of 2,050 tonnes for salmon and trout this year in Japan’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, the fisheries agency said in a statement. 

The quota is unchanged from last year, and Japan will pay $1.56-2.34 million in fees — depending on the actual catch — to Russia.

The deal will be formally signed on Monday, the agency said. The payment for the fish of Russian origin is stipulated under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

This year’s annual fishing quota negotiations began this month after the usual salmon season in the region started.

The agreement only settles the quota within Japan's economic zone, but Japan still needs to negotiate a quota within the Russian EEZ.

Since the start of Russia-Ukraine conflict in late February, Japan has imposed a series of sanctions against Moscow.

These sanctions are largely in line with measures taken by other Group of Seven countries, including freezing the assets of Russian leaders, billionaires and groups, restricting trade and revoking Moscow’s “most favoured nation” trade status.

In an apparent reprisal, Russia has announced a suspension of peace treaty talks with Japan that included negotiations over the disputed islands that Tokyo desperately wants to regain control of.

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