Black mark, or why Kamchatrybvod management proclaimed war to its own press-center

The Kamchatrybvod press-center is a unique phenomenon. There is nothing of the kind in any basin administration. As for its voluntary (supernumerary) subdivisions: Northern Pacific digest, Pacific Review newspaper, the Far East fishermen’s film studio, Charitable Public Fund for Conservation of Bioresources of the Northern Pacific (the Northern Pacific Fund) — a founder of All-Russian festival of movies and telefilms the “Living Water”, the Russian-American conference on protection of the Bering Sea, there is not a single state or voluntary organization throughout mother Russia, which would analyze the problems on protection of the northern Pacific bioresources so thoroughly and comprehensively and carry authority over fishing companies, scientists, the “greens”, international conservancies and fisheries officials even in the State Fisheries Committee, as the press-center of Kamchatka Federal Department for Protection and Reproduction of Fish Resources and Fisheries Regulations (Kamchatrybvod).

Nevertheless now, when only a blind doesn’t see what has been done under the aegis of the press-center, the new administration of Kamchatrybvod, which came to power in late May 2001, and its head A.G. Zheltyshev in particular with his first deputy S.P. Denisenkov expressed their “collective” doubt: Does the press-center do what it has to, and why nothing comes about illustrious deeds of the new management?

Therefore it is necessary to enlarge on the history of the entity we still practise to call Kamchatrybvod press-center; actually it is the established and functioning international eco-informational center the “Northern Pacific”, a natural and direct division of Kamchatrybvod which activity is aimed at protection of the northern Pacific bioresources. If the present administration of Kamchatrybvod is dubious about the doings of our center, it means we are going separate ways and, perhaps, for a long time.

Now to the background of the issue. I came to Kamchatrybvod in January 1984, having worked in “Kamchatskii Komsomolets”, where my first articles about specialist in fish breeding — Ivan I. Lagunov, Igor I. Kurenkov — were published. Then I wrote a story about Malkinsky experimental salmon hatchery, about unique test in breeding young fish in thermal Malkinskaya water being deeply interested in. Approximately at the same time I began collecting information on history of exploration of the northern Pacific, on Russian hunting coast-dwellers, who came to the shores of the Pacific Ocean from Russia’s North, conquering and developing the land, which came into the Earth’s history as the Russian America. Later when I worked in the “Rybak Kamchatky” newspaper, though not long, a former fellow-student of mine Sergei Donigevich came to me and offered a job in Kamchatrybvod as a chief inspector in the Grassroots Information Department.

To be honest, I was largely attracted by a salary. They paid 115 rubles in “Rybak Kamchatky” in contrast to 155 in Rybvod (in Russia one ruble cost more than one dollar at that time — translator’s note). I had no idea what I was supposed to do in the department, as well as what Kamchatrybvod dealt in, in spite of the fact that its inspectors chased poachers along rivers. By the way, I also had negative opinion about the former, having grown on the Kamchatka River where my people and I used to do with fish whatever we liked, that’s why all restrictions were regarded as violations of our natural rights. Everybody thought so; I was no exception. It showed my unreadiness to work in Kamchatrybvod, especially in the Grassroots Information Department to explain people that the state was right taking fish from them.

Sergei Donigevich has a power to persuade. He fooled me with smooth talk, I yielded and was introduced to one of my future bosses — Alexander — San Sanych — Chekulayev, with whom we became true friends. Much of what was done later happen thanks to something more than a mere job as officials: plans, common opinion on problems we faced every day and every hour. That is why I became rooted to Kamchatrybvod, having found a rare thing in our time. I found like-minded people there.

The office had no authority. The (Communist) Party’s Regional Committee was engaged in fisheries regulations — and no one could advocate the protection of bioresources: fulfill your plan and no wrangling! Inspectors gave vent for their impotence on indigenous population — limits for salmon fishing were introduces exclusively for the latter, later they prohibited to feed husky dogs with valuable species of fish (what else could they give if there is nothing but salmon in Kamchatka rivers?!), after that they forbade people to sustain themselves with fish. To Kamchadals who have been laying salmon in stock for millennia. When I came to Kamchatrybvod, the Head of the Fisheries Protection Department Sergei V. Ogurtsov was planning to make up a complete record of poachers in Kamchatka (unfortunately, nobody appreciated his brilliant idea, and the most important work it might become remained undeveloped, neglected and eventually forgotten). Looking through the record in alphabetic order which was compiled later I was stupefied at seen (by that time I had done some research work in history of indigenous dynasties): mostly, “popular” family names in the record belonged to Kamchadals’ families — the Speshnevs, the Trapeznikovs, the Uksusnikovs, the Krivogornitsyns, the Abakumovs, the Popovs, the Mashikhins… I examined their files — ten-fifteen fishes, extra detention, prison. In the 1960s — 90s we accused hundreds of natives of poaching and sent them to prison, the Kamchadals who had paid assessments to a tsar by 1917, but were converted into Russians at the behest of the Soviet authorities in 1926, for them in 70 years to get their right to call and be called Kamchadals (the Itelmen) — in the late 1990s. An undeclared civil war was fought. Or genocide, as you wish.

I wouldn’t stay long in Kamchatrybvod: that what was happening (and is still going on) in Kamchatka salmon spawning rivers, immorality of our so-called “coast” inspectors who fleeced the natives and drew up reports without leaving their homes according to the scheme they had made up and a plan from above repelled me. There were and are good people among “coast” inspectors. But they deceased more often than others or the heartless state machinery kicked them out of job. A humiliatingly small salary let survive only those who could adapt to new conditions of subsistence. As a result, inspectors became either members of a fishing mafia — they concealed groups of poachers, — or extortionists — they took allegedly no-one’s-caviar and gave it to second-hand dealers without registration. Or they simply racketeered setting a tariff for each spawning, as it was in Klyuchy this year. If I ‘m not mistaken, quite a decent sum — ten thousand rubles for each spawning. Or even the last thing — they went to spawning grounds in poaching gangs to take fish and caviar. There are only few honest and fair people there — not more than fingers on one hand.

Why did I stay there? Kamchatrybvod urgently had to enhance the staff for the conventional fisheries when marine economic zones were introduced — they were my coevals, graduates of Dalrybtuz. Young and energetic, ambitious and daring, intelligent and mischievous, merry and friendly… They put to sea and treated fishermen as if they were naughty children. Fattened and arrogant captains of mother ships — chieftains of our Far East seas, who took fish from fishermen on crushing terms making those from seiners and trawlers wail — now stood up straight before adolescent inspectors that used capacity factor to sift out documents for fish surplus, conducted investigations, brought up famous charges resulting in deprival of Party-membership cards which meant disgrace and sometimes jail.

They couldn’t arrange matters with these inspectors — neither money nor drinking and seduction helped. Young bodies digested vodka easily, the brains remained clear and were like clockwork. Bribe didn’t befit them because feeling of commandership, responsibility and sport excitement were great and sense of solidarity answered Taras Bulba’s thesis learned at school: “No bonds are more solemn than those of fellowship”. As for seduction, ship mas fought for every handsome inspector, and there were more women than men on mother ships at that time.

I got into Kamchatrybvod when the glory of marine inspectors was at its top. Only later spoiled, drunken, corrupted, they got favorites and betted who would go ahead: my favorite or yours — mine, who brings mail and tarts to MS or yours, who is toiling at. By the way (this is a life example), no one became a winner: they both fulfilled the fisheries plan for one- and five-years during one fishing season — either the postman, who didn’t wet his nets, or the heaven-born fisherman. That is. Though it was later.

Years passed and once when Dmitry Philippovich and I ran across, he being a pensioner asked me in the first instance about my work: “How’s writing? Do they allow you to write?” Rest you in peace — only then I realized that Dmitry Philippovich simply covered me; he gave me an opportunity to appeal in my articles to the Central Committee of the KPSU. And — most important (!) –to win. Thou it was not my personal victory. It was our common victory, because at that time Kamchatrybvod was somewhat solid and we were a part of it. No bonds are more solemn than those of fellowship!

A come-and-go-person appeared in Kamchatrybvod on the place of D.P. Kolmogorov. He is no more. During his life he was a mild inoffensive man, moreover he appointed Nokolai N. Markov (again from the Conventional Fisheries Department!) as his deputy, the future head of Kamchatrybvod (it was a gold age for our office). After that I was elected the chairman of labor collectives; therefore we became more united than ever. To tell the truth we rallied in management; but as for sea, negative tendencies became irreversible. First, “Golden Crab”- bribes and smuggling. Then, plenty of bucks for foreign fisheries. The Conventional, later Marine, department was growing. New people were constantly coming; they brought their standpoints, their needs, their moral values, or no values at all. The department was growing bigger but worsened, worsened and worsened.

It didn’t strike the eyes — we saw those people rarely — few were the times when they visited the office after fishing. Compensatory leaves, holidays, work at sea followed each other. People were left on their own, were masters of the situation, they got in touch with a senior inspector in fishing grounds once a day, and he — consequently with the office. There was gossip about corruption, bribes, binges. But it remained the gossip hard to check up. Kamchatrybvod also experienced first fisheries reforms — the establishment of a parallel structure in Goscomecology (State Environment Committee). We began disintegrating hardly realizing that. Then my “god-brother” Sergei M. Doniguevich went to the Special Marine Inspection.

In 1992 I was invited to the Department of Culture in the Administration of Kamchatka region as a deputy chief. It happened because I was still doing researches in the history of the northern Pacific development; and the year 1993 was the 250th anniversary of fishery development of the Russian America by Russians. Actually this date marked the beginning of fishing activities of Russia in the Pacific Ocean. They were preparing to a grand celebration in organization where I had worked from its first days. Therefore I agreed. After the celebration in August 1993, which received the status of All-Russian on decision of the Russian government, A.A. Chekulaev, N.N. Markov’s first deputy chief of Kamchatrybvod, made a request for me at the instance of the former to come back to Kamchatrybvod and proceed with the work I had done for eight years.

Do they break fishing regulations less frequently? Not in the least — the trends were steady and at first opportunity the whole — the WHOLE! — fish fleet of the Far East rushed to the banned Pollack fishing grounds at a depth less that one hundred meters — either supertrawlers or BMRTs and of course the whole middle capacity fleet. The economy dictated its terms there. As for inspectors, the degeneracy was obvious — money, much money was doing its bit dashingly and continually: you’d better cash in while you can, so to say.

Kamchatka is a unique region in the Far East as it gathers in its waters, in Kamchatrybvod’s patch, fishing boats and factory ships from the Far East and abroad. It is Moscow, which defines fishing policy, but Kamchatrybvod is (no matter how perfect it might be) only an executive body of the capital. So, speaking about formation of public opinion on the problems of conservation of bioresources in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean (the northern Pacific), we should speak of our own mass media able to discuss these problems on all-Russian and international levels to make the highest echelon focus on them.

But I am a journalist, a man who writes. My sole couldn’t find peace, as if I betrayed somebody. Whom? Myself. The years in periodical press — after all, my first articles were issued on January 10, 1971, i.e. my background is more than 20 years. The idea behind the digest appeared not occasionally. In 1996 we published the first issue of the “Northern Pacific”. Nowadays it is a rarity.

I have known Burkanov, then he was young and I called him Volodya, since my first days of work in Kamchatrybvod, we were friends, we flew in plane several times, went to sea to take the stock of sea mammals, we organized a sensational in its time youth environmental center (Eco-center). I wrote much about his job, my interviews with him were published in central environmental magazines. Though I took him as the head of Kamchatrybvod with caution. I suspected that personal interests for Burkanov meant more than common ones, and his desire to find a better place would become dominant and later revealed what the faзade disguised. We all made mistakes about his countenance. There are people who inspire trust; they emanate sympathy, kindness, light; being at the same time selfish, cunning, hypocritical and even mean.

One of such men is unfortunately my recently good companion Volodya Burkanov. I have a right to say it now, when he is no more at the helm, because before I have informed my immediate superior in oral as well as in written forms of Burkanov’s main role in personnel and moral tragedy of Kamchatrybvod. It wouldn’t be new for him. The rest know from others or have learned themselves the price of a sweet smile of the winsome boss.

The first thing he did (as we found out by the order from Moscow) was the dismissal of his first deputy — A.A. Chekulayev, probably, the most experienced specialist in Kamchatrybvod, who passed through the school of two departments of prime importance — that of Conventional Fisheries and Fishery Protection. Burkanov fired Chekulayev charging him with official malfeasance. He — farther of five children — was restored in office by the court. I have somewhere a shorthand record of that disgrace with Burkanov and his deputy covering Chekulayev’s name in mud, not suspecting of them getting stuck deeply in it. That’s what occurred to the deputy who realized later he had to pay meanness for betrayal. He exactly was offered to become first deputy, but on one condition. Now he is speaking about it in public that is why I can tell you about it — he had to sign all papers he was ordered to do by his boss. If something were wrong, the boss would rebuke him but later (when the scandal subsides) abolish the penalty. The deputy was not a fool — he had worked there three decades and understood what papers he would have to sign. As a result, by the end of Burkanov’s activity in Kamchatrybvod they turned into enemies. Then Sergei Pavlovich Denisenkov was appointed as the first chief deputy (the colleagues called him Sergey Padlych — a pun based on similarity of sounds of the patronymic Palych from Pavlovich and “padla”, a jargon swear word that means a low person who cannot be trusted — and it fully reflected his nature). He seems to graduate from a college of fisheries as a trawlerman. He was the second who worked in Kamchatrybvod so long; a petty boss but for a short while — too power-loving, too rude, not too bright. As the first deputy he didn’t work long — carrying several thousand dollars in his pants (illegally, of course) while returning from abroad he was disclosed by Khabarovsk Custom. That led to his dismissal.

He being in office, legal proceedings were initiated on embezzlement and corruption in fish industry, as a consequence Burkanov and Denisenkov (with the assistance of the present head of Kamchatrybvod A.G. Zheltyshev) sent one more lucid mind and my friend Alexander N. Saneyev to prison, the latter being absolutely sure he would have easily won the case. Now when the prosecutor asked for two years of imprisonment, but the judge sentenced him two and a half (for him having his own opinion), he cherishes no illusion but firmly believes he has done nothing wrong. They say the law enforcement agencies wanted to make Saneyev’s case a trial of the century over corruption in fishery; it has been written about much, but resulted in nothing. And Saneyev appeared to be a scapegoat with Vladimir Nikolayevich and Sergey Pavlovich’s “happy touch”.

Consequently they reckoned me among enemies having considered a friend — I supported A. Chekulayev until he gave up fighting and left Rybvod. I accepted A.N. Saneyev for employment to the Northern Pacific Fund after his return from prison. If it had been Burkanov who found himself trouble like Chekulayev, I would have supported him either, as a friend, but everything was different — and I became an enemy.

Our inspectors worked overtly for Dalmoreproduct. The headquarters was located in the “Vsevolod Sibirtsev” mother ship at its captain Zhuriya’s. V.N. Burkanov without hesitation hid fines and damages caused by Dalmoreproduct to fish industry of the country with its fuel for fishery protection vessels. It used to be a norm — Burkanov claimed about this “form of business-like co-operation” even at the meeting with the governor of Kamchatka. When I detached my cameraman, senior state fishery inspector V. Murashko, to the mother ship with an inspector from the Marine Department on board; the mother ship left fishing grounds and refused to accept him. Later we got some documents from FSB (Federal Security Agency) related to activities of our inspectors in the banned fishing grounds: they were catching one and concealing others. Hunting for aliens but covering their people — fishing and fish-processing fleets of Dalmoreproduct, to be exact the “Vsevolod Sibirtsev” mother ship. It was A.G. Zheltyshev who worked as a senior state fishery inspector on the fishery protection vessel at that time in those — banned!!! — fishing grounds, the present head of Kamchatrybvod.

To be sincere, the warfare suited me down to the ground — V.N. Burkanov did not take chances to pressure on the press-center under the circumstances, understanding that if we joined with one of the sides it would have been a formidable impact on them. Perhaps fresh memories about recent co-operation somehow neutralized his attacks on us. For the first we lived peacefully time and made efforts to develop the project together with which I came to the office in 1993. It was V.N. Burkanov who subsidized us for purchasing editing equipment for the film studio. It was Burkanov and me who published the first issue of the “Northern Pacific” digest in 1996, i.e. he is one of its godfathers.

Then everything changed. It changed from the moment we showed a scene where the head of Kamchatrybvod was defending his standpoint on mutual clearing with Dalmoreproduct during that very meeting with the governor in “Crab-rush” (in previous translations it was mistakenly named “Crab Fever”). We knew what might happen after its broadcast. We simply wanted to warn people — we understood what the alliance with Dalmoreproduct might lead to, how it would echo back on Kamchatrybvod and what shame it would bring upon all who worked here.

Alas, but it was far from it — they started attacking the press-center. At that time the second wave of reforms in Kamchatrybvod knocked us down — the marine inspectorate (fortunately for the rest of us who had not been stained with corruption!) passed to FPS and reduction of the staff became actual for the whole structure of Kamchatrybvod — we discharged two contributors: a cameraman and the executive secretary of the “Northern Pacific” digest. We faced a threat of total dismissal of the personnel, but at the last minute one of the bright deputies realized consequences it might have for them: the war was still carrying on, we kept aside doing our own business.

We were not afraid of reduction, understanding that our familiarity with Kamchatrybvod’s activities would produce negative reaction among those who avoided publicity, and were ready for the worst. The Charitable Public Fund for conservation of salmon in Kamchatka was set up in 1991, later it was reorganized into the Charitable Public Fund for Protection of Bioresources of the Northern Pacific (the Northern Pacific Fund). Our programs were generally financed through these Funds: shares of fishing companies, grants from conservancies, subsidies from the administration and so on. This accounts for our fiscal independence and readiness to leave hostile walls of Kamchatrybvod at any moment and wage war with its management, defending the cause to which I have devoted the major part of my life. I repeat, the cause of protection of northern Pacific bioresources.

We had a final discussion at which we crossed our t's and dotted our i's. I believe Burkanov’s pragmatism will let him realize that in the course of years me worked in Kamchatrybvod my team and I haven’t retreated a step from my life’s objective — popularization of ideas of the northern Pacific historical and nature’s legacy preservation. Me and a group of like-minded people — the editorial staff of the “Northern Pacific” digest, the “Pacific Review” newspaper (which deputy editor-in-chief Aleksey, my son and successor, was appointed deliberately), the Far East fishermen’s film studio — are widening our garden of knowledge, making holes for young plants of ideas deeper.

However the “Pacific Review” was established when Burkanov had left the office — in the presence of Vladimir G. Rezvanov appointed against his will. He is very kind, respectable and industrious man. A competent fisherman. He was ordered to take the office and he obeyed. We understood each other at once. He defended fishermen’s interests like we did: fishery protection agencies are established to guard fisheries but not vice versa — as if fish industry exists to let fisheries inspectors line their pockets. It was in his presence when a Russian-American conference on protection of fish stocks in the Bering Sea was convened in Kamchatrybvod. The State Fisheries Committee refused to support and participate in the conference. It was in his presence when the newspaper was set up. It could never appear either in the time of Burkanov or under the present management. Why? Because it was fighting war with the most powerful monsters in fish industry of the Far East — Dalmoreproduct. With the company which had true adherents (I don’t know why and what moral principles they were guided by) among those who was at the helm of Kamchatrybvod.

We have always been and will always be against fishery expansion of Primorye aimed to destroy fish industry in Kamchatka and Sakhalin. Dalmoreproduct can serve a good example of it: its policy directed against the state became obvious for many people thanks to us. Though fishermen of Primorye always opposed Dalmoreproduct, as the monster has been bringing them to ruin for its own (read American) profit. We’ve been struggling with Dalmoreproduct for all these years — read the “Northern Pacific”, watch films of the Far East fishermen’s studio (first of all “Crab-rush”), look through pages of the “Pacific Review”.

We published various articles — reprints from Primorye mass media containing facts of participation of the governor of Primorsky province E.I. Nazdratenko in failure of the biggest fish enterprise in the country the Trawler and Refrigerated Cargo Fleet Base in Vladivostok. News stories about alliance of E.I. Nazdratenko and U.G. Didenko in the governor election campaign, as well as the Spanish-built supertrawlers which passed to Dalmoreproduct also appeared in our periodical.

Pro-Kamchatsky V.G. Rezvanov was discharged from the office of the head in defiance of the Labor Code. Consequently his office was taken by obscure Alexander G. Zheltyshev, ex-state fishery inspector, known to us only by the situation with the fishery protection vessel that covered poachers from Dalmoreproduct, who later went to marine inspectorate of FPS. Once I saw him at sea, unfortunately nothing good or bad can be said about him, as I hardly know that man. It remains an enigma for me why Nazdratenko chose him. They say, Kamchatka’s pro-Primoskoye lobby supported this candidate. I can easily believe it, as it clears up much to me. Primorsky (to be precise, pro-didenkovsky-nazdratenkovsky) Zheltyshev, no doubt, had to go into action against us making his own little profit with those who nominated him. It is logical.

Then A.G. Zheltyshev appoints S.P. Denisenkov to everyone’s astonishment as first deputy head of Kamchatrybvod, the person who had been dismissed from the post for the offence inconsistent with a high state position of importance he held. It is not surprising — Denisenkov served faithfully to a chief who allowed Dalmoreproduct not to pay fines or damages to the state but to recover them by solar oil, as Kamchatrybvod allegedly had no money for fuel (in organization which didn’t know that time what else it could expend foreign currency for). If to summon up that all three were involved in Saneyev’s case, then “the case opens easily” — it’s a gang.

The appearance of supernumerary entities — the “Northern Pacific” digest, the “Pacific Review” newspaper, the Far East fishermen’s film studio, the Northern Pacific Fund — witnesses to the fact we haven’t surrendered yet. On the contrary, this article opens discussion about “good and useful” things which the present management of Kamchatrybvod did for the fishing season of 2001, about the people in control, about possible results and costs for inhabitants of the peninsular.

According to article 1.1 of instruction #18 dated 08/13/2001 ensure scheduled spawn laying in every fish hatchery at V.V. Yelizov’s private risk (general director of the board of fish hatcheries — NP); simultaneously you allocated a quota (3 tons) for dog salmon to Paratunka administration by letter #1391 dated 08/29/2001 thus deliberately frustrating the state plan on spawn laying by Paratunsky and Ketkensky salmon hatcheries.