Kamchatka denies feared fish contamination

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKI, April 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Kamchatka
authorities rejected on Friday rumors about potential fish contamination
from the nuclear accident in Japan saying there was no threat for the fish
near coast of the peninsula.
Local fishermen were concerned that foreign buyers of Alaska pollack
will decrease purchasing prices because of rumors about "incredible
radioactivity contamination of bioresources in Kamchatka waters."
Kamchatka government quoted the local Fishing Research Institute as
saying a research vessel monitoring salmon breeding areas reported normal
radioactive background in the air, water, and fish.
"Alaska pollack and herring do not migrate to areas of potential
contamination. Therefore no radioactivity threat for the fish near
Kamchatka coast exists even hypothetically," it said.
Local Governor Vladimir Ilyukhin earlier said contamination rumors
were fraught with economic losses for the Russian Far East which accounts
for two thirds of the national fish haul.
"Doubts about radioactive safety of fish products voiced by some
foreign public and environmental organizations affect sales prospects and
can trigger extremely negative consequences both for separate enterprises
and the whole fishing industry," Ilyukhin said.
Also on Friday the Kamchatka emergencies center said radioactive
background on the peninsula was within the norm and did not exceed 13
microroentgen per hour. The upper limit is 30 microroentgen.
The Far Eastern regional emergencies center said the background was
normal on the whole territory, including Primorye, Sakhalin, Kuril
Islands, Magadan and Amur regions, and Yakutia.