According to the Federal Agency for Fisheries, 68% of Russia's fishing fleet has been degraded and is nearing critical levels.
"Our forecast shows that if we do not quickly modernize our fishing fleet, the commercial catch will drop from the current 3.2-3.3 million metric tons to 2.6 million metric tons by 2015, which could lead to a sharp decrease in average annual fish consumption to 11.6 kilograms (25 pounds) per capita," Andrei Krainiy said at a government meeting.
He said average per capita consumption of fish and seafood in Russia has decreased from 22.5 kilograms (50 pounds) in 1986 to 12.6 kilograms (27 pounds) in 2006, while the Health Ministry recommends average annual consumption at about 23.7 kilograms (52 pounds).
In comparison, annual fish consumption in the U.S. is 22.6 kilograms (50 pounds), in China - 25.7 kilograms (56 pounds), in Norway - 47.4 kilograms (104 pounds) and in Japan - 64.7 kilograms (142 pounds), the official said.
Krainiy warned that the current situation with Russia's fishing fleet could prevent the country from effectively exploring vast fishing resources available in Russian territorial and neutral waters, which amount to about 11 million tons per year.
