The Commission considered a draft Strategy for Fisheries Development until 2020.

In his opening remarks Mr Zubkov said that according to the concept, Russia was  expected to make  fish  products to account for 85% of the domestic market by 2020, up from the current 67%.

He said the draft strategy envisaged catching 6.5million metric tons of fish and seafood annually by 2020, or twice the current level, and raising fish products output to 5.1million tons, leading to a rise in per capita fish consumption to 28 kg a year.

According to Mr Zubkov, annual plans have to be drawn up to ensure effective work and to meet the goals set. He also pointed out the need to determine specific priorities under the strategy.

"Please focus on the development and modernisation of port infrastructure, such as fish terminals to serve ships, facilities to accept, store and process the products, as well as on development of wholesale and retail trade in fish products," he said adding that these issues were crucial for the regions' economic and social development and eventually, for the retail prices we find in grocery stores.

The commission approved the draft strategy in general in the wake of the meeting. The document will be finalised to incorporate the constructive proposals made at the meeting, and then approved by the Federal Agency for Fishery until the end of March 2009.

Port infrastructure development will be discussed at a Government meeting in May. Also, an expanded meeting of the Government Commission attended by heads of coastal regions is slated for April.