Less fish - more schemes: how the sea was divided in occupied Crimea

The occupation has changed the balance of fishing in Crimea - catches are falling, and the market is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few players. As it turned out, a significant part of illegal fishing in Ukrainian waters is controlled by a narrow circle of interconnected companies of collaborators and Russian businesses.

This was reported by the Center for Investigative Journalism.

During the ten years of Russian occupation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the volume of fish and other aquatic bioresources has decreased three times - from 15.5 thousand tons to 4.7 thousand tons.

At the same time, the occupation authorities of Sevastopol had previously reported allegedly record-breaking figures: companies from the local fishing cluster were supposed to catch more than 20,000 tons of seafood. This was more than half of all fish, shrimp, crayfish and other biological resources caught in the Azov-Black Sea basin. At the same time, according to media reports, about half of this volume is accounted for by one company, Golden Fish.

The journalists found out that behind these figures is an extensive network of interconnected companies of Sevastopol and Crimean collaborators engaged in illegal fishing in Ukrainian waters. The owners of these structures may become involved in criminal proceedings, and their vessels may be subject to sanctions and arrest.

Against the backdrop of declining fisheries resources due to Russia's war against Ukraine, large Russian companies are entering the Crimean market, with which local businesses are unable to compete. Among them are entities associated with Robert Harvey Stubblebine, a U.S. citizen who has settled in Russia and owns the largest oyster and mussel farm on Lake Donuzlav.

They also mentioned companies of the Marfish group owned by Kateryna Nechai, co-owner of one of the largest fishery holdings in Kaliningrad.

The journalists noted that such business concentration and illegal fishing not only undermine the ecosystem of the Azov-Black Sea basin, but also actually drive Crimean fishermen out of the market.

At the same time, the price of goods and services has risen in the occupied Crimea, and Russia has raised the VAT rate to 22%, which directly affects the welfare of the peninsula's residents. Experts note that the combination of high inflation, lack of resources and the military burden on budgets is exacerbating the economic situation.

Анна Літман