OREANDA-NEWS. August 20, 2013. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Primorie region (Primorie OFAS Russia) found that “TD DMP” Ltd., “Aquaresource-DV” Ltd., “PRK” Ltd. and “Rybny Ostrov” Ltd. concluded an agreement, which resulted in maintaining prices at an auction.

On 24th November 2010, there was an auction in Vladivostok for selling the right to conclude contracts for allocating the quotas for catching opilio crab in Primorie sub-zone (to the south of the Golden cape) for coastal fishing.

Primorie OFAS Russia received materials from the Investigation Committee of the Russian Federation in the Far East Federal District indicating an agreement between the economic entities that violated the antimonopoly law in an open auction on 24th November 2010.

The Commission of Primorie OFAS Russia concluded that the agreement between TD DMP” Ltd., “Aquaresource-DV” Ltd., “PRK” Ltd. and “Rybny Ostrov” Ltd., which operate on the same market, resulted in maintaining prices at the auction for allocating quotas for catching opilio crab (in breach of Clause 2 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”).

The antimonopoly body also shall file lawsuits to Arbitration Court to terminate the government contracts concluded upon the outcome of the open auction.

The case materials are forwarded to the Investigation Committee of the Russian Federation in the Far East Federal District to initiate a criminal case under Article 178 of the Criminal Code – preventing, restricting or eliminating competition.

“We are convinced that the exposed violation of the law and eliminating the consequences will have a favourable effect upon the state of competition on the market of catching and sale of biological water resources in the region”, pointed out Deputy Head of Primorie OFAS Russia, Viktor Tryakin.

Reference:

On 1st August 2013, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) found that Primorie District Office of the Federal Fishery Agency (Rosrybolovstvo) violated Part 1 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” (competition-restricting actions of executive bodies) organizing three auctions in December 2012 for the right to conclude contracts allocating quotas for catching (producing) water biological resources. FAS issued a determination to eliminate the antimonopoly violations.