Official Letter No. AP-61/5225 of 2000 of the Ministry of Natural Resources regarding ecological expertise of the documentation substantiating prognoses for 2001 of the total allowable catch of aquatic biodiversity inside inland waters of the Russian Federation.

The Ministry of Natural Resources entitles its territorial branches to carry out state ecological expertise of the documentation substantiating prognoses for 2001 of the total allowable catch of fish, other aquatic animals and aquatic plants (living biodiversity) in the rivers, storage ponds and lakes (inland waters) within the boundaries of the respective regions of the Russian Federation where is being carried out industrial, checking and research fishing. The general customer of the elaboration of the prognoses of the total allowable catch of fish, other aquatic animals and aquatic plants is the Federal Fisheries Committee. The list of materials to be forwarded for state ecological expertise for 2001 must contain the following documents: 1). The prognoses for 2001 of the total allowable catch. 2). Biological substantiation of the total allowable catch according to species and water basins. 3). Documentation regarding the actual state of water basins. 4). Brief data concerning the main species of marketable fish and other aquatic animals. 5). Comparable data for the past 5 years as regards fish stock, total allowable catch and real catch. 6). Expert and other estimates of poaching, sport and artisanal fishing for the past 5 years (in percentage to the authorized total allowable catch). 7). Valuation of the consequences of the projected withdrawal of the amount of fish, other aquatic animals and aquatic plants for the aquatic ecosystems.