The meeting participants supported the proposal by the Federal Agency for Fishery to extend coastal fishing areas to the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation. The Federal Agency for Fishery was instructed to prepare the relevant draft government resolution, which will complement existing plans to simplify control procedures for fishing vessels regularly crossing the border of the Russian Federation.

The discussion resulted in a decision to continue studying, along with the regions, the possibility of adopting commercial quotas in the inland and territorial waters of the Russian Federation. "This proposal requires a careful and balanced approach. We need to have a clear understanding of how this decision may impact the socioeconomic development of the regions and the environment of the coastal basin," the deputy prime minister said. "We need to clearly understand the impact of increasing the fishing intensity in these areas on the reserves of biological resources."

The commission also reviewed the prospects for aquaculture development in the Russian Federation, and Mr Zubkov discussed Government Resolution No. 589 of August 2, 2010, which aims to boost efficiency at fishing companies. The resolution transfers responsibility for formulating and implementing public policy and legal regulation in aquaculture and commercial fisheries to the Federal Agency for Fishery.

"We need to significantly increase the efficiency of fishing companies and increase their share in the total catch of aquatic biological resources," Mr Zubkov said. "For this, we should first of all create a modern regulatory framework. The Federal Agency for Fishery has been instructed to promptly prepare the draft law On Aquaculture, as well as a comprehensive fishing development programme for the Russian Federation."