ASTRAKHAN, November 15. /TASS/. The commercial stock of Arctic cisco in Lake Baikal is projected to exceed the target level of ten thousand metric tons by 2026-2027, according to Vasily Sokolov, deputy head of the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries.

A ban on commercial fishing and recreational catching of Arctic cisco in Lake Baikal was implemented in October 2017, with an exception made for winter bait fishing.

"We believe the prospects for Arctic cisco commercial fishing are positive. The current stock is approximately seven thousand metric tons, compared to the target of ten thousand metric tons. While researchers remain cautious in their forecast, we are optimistic about the 2020 generation, which is expected to contribute to the commercial stock by 2026-2027. Fundamentally, we are confident that the stock will be above the target," Sokolov stated.

A comprehensive sonar survey of Lake Baikal was conducted this year, covering nearly all habitats of the Arctic cisco, he added.