GERMAN COLLEAGUES WILL HELP INVESTIGATE FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN JAO

Researchers from Institute for Comprehensive Analysis of Regional Problems (ICARP), Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences and Landscape Economy Institute of Westphalia University in Germany will undertake next year a study of some forest ecosystems in Jewish Autonomous Oblast (JAO).

Joint work will be performed in the Bastak preserve. Preliminary agreement on this study was made in Munster between ICARP director Yefim Frisman and Landscape Economy Institute director Herman Matiss. - Yevgeny ITAROV.

FIVE TONS OF GOLD AND 240 TONS OF SILVER PRODUCED IN KOLYMA REGION DURING FIVE MONTHS

By data of the Subsurface Use Department of Magadan Oblast's administration, the region's gold industry has produced a total of 4,897 kg of gold since year's beginning, including 340 kg of placer gold.

Silver production during same period was 240 tons, said spokesman for Magadan Oblast's administration. - Yevgeny ITAROV.

FISHING FLEETS READY FOR SEA

After completing winter and spring fishing seasons, Primorye fishermen take preparations for summer fishery in the Bering Sea.

As was stated at the recent meeting of Primorye Fisheries Council, attended by major fishing companies, researchers from TINRO-Centre, officials from PrimorRybvod and regional border guard authority, about 133,000 tons of Alaska pollack was allocated in this area of the Pacific.

Fishing companies reported that their fleets are basically ready for the sea. It is expected that up to 50 large and medium vessels will operate in the Bering Sea, including long-liners, specialized seiners and trawlers. Part of pollack quotas will be used as by-catch to other commercial species. In all, some 30 fishing companies will take part in summer fishery, with priority given to local fish producers.

By words of Vladimir Leonov, head of Primorsky Krai administration's Fisheries Department, this is one of the region's top priorities in fishing policies. If any company is unable to harvest its quota, additional fleets should be sourced only in Primorye.

Alexander Platonov, vice president of Primorye Fishing Companies Association, proposed to set up a joint management team to coordinate fisheries and assist fishermen in controversial situations. This initiative was endorsed and management team's functions delegated to the Fisheries Council's working group.

Reception of salmon quota applications is in process, and the tendering commission will start awarding quotas on 16 June. Main requirements to applicants are supply of raw fish to Russian processing facilities, absence of tax and wage arrears. - Yury NURMUKHAMETOV.

PRIMORSKY GOK REPAID ALL DEBTS

Three years after restructuring of debts to the budget, Primorsky GOK integrated ore enriching mill and its affiliate AIR mining company were deleted from the list of debtors.

The last 19 million of more than 100-million-ruble debt, accrued in previous years, was repaid in late April 2004.

"Our companies have finished with debts forever," declared Ivan Shepeta, Primorsky GOK's long-time chairman of board and AIR's director general. "We paid 151 million rubles to the budgets of all levels in last year, and another 58 million during January - April 2004." - Nadezhda VORONTSOVA.

COLUMBARIUM MAY GET NO STONE

Primorsky Krai prosecutors protested two contracts, made between Vladivostok city hall and OOO Siroyama in August and October 2003, on purchase of columbarium panels from granite and natural stone, urns, benches, facing tiles, other equipment for the cemetery.

The contracts amounted to 357,349 rubles and $3,821,210 respectively.

Prosecutors demand that both contracts and the tender for stone procurement be declared null and void. If court satisfies their claim and nullifies the deal, the city administration and Siroyama will have to return each other stone and money.

Prosecutors say that contracting and tendering procedures handled by the city hall failed to comply with requirements of the Russian Federation Budget Code and presidential decree No. 305 of 8 April 1997 "On Foremost Measures to Prevent Corruption and Reduce Budget Expenditures in Procurement of Products for Governmental Purposes." - Yevgeny ITAROV.

FIRST SPECIALISTS ON THAILAND GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITY IN VLADIVOSTOK

Russian Far East's first eight specialists with qualification "oriental studies philologist, Thai and English language interpreter" graduated from the Far Eastern State University in Vladivostok.

FESU is the only university east of Urals training specialists on Thailand. Demand for this year's graduates was rather high, and all of them received job proposals from organizations in Far East, Moscow and Thailand, including consular offices, commercial firms. In this connection, FESU announced admission of first-year students to its Thai department. - Yulia PROKHOROVA.