The two nations of Russia and Angola are considering creating joint fish processing enterprises, according to Russia's federal fishing agency, Rosrybolovstvo.

Ilya Shestakov, Russia's deputy minister of agriculture and the head of Rosrybolovstvo, met with Alvaro da Cunha Candido dos Santos, Angola's secretary of state for fisheries and marine resources, on the sidelines of the Global Fishery Forum, in St. Petersburg, Russia, this week, reports Interfax, an international information group that reports on business and government interests in Russia.

"Options for cooperation in fish processing, including the creation of joint enterprises and technology exchanges, was discussed," said Rosrybolovstvo. 

Shestakov proposed forming a research group made up specialists from Russia and the African nation, who will be tasked with preparing studies to evaluate the biomass of demersal (bottom-dwelling) and small pelagic fish species and look into their habitat.

Angola is also interested in studying Russia's experience in aquaculture and fish food production, dos Santos said. It is necessary to consider the possibility of Russian specialists teaching Angolan students, he noted.

Shestakov and dos Santos also talked about Russia's "Great African Expedition." As previously reported by Undercurrent, the expedition, which aims to analyze fishery resources along African coasts, departed from Western Kaliningrad on Aug. 21. The research mission is expected to assess Africa's biological resources and new opportunities for the Russian fishing industry.

The expedition, which will last until 2026, is due to cover the coastal waters of 19 countries, from Eritrea to Madagascar in the east and from Angola to Morocco in the west.  

Next year's phase of that expedition is due to take place in Angola's territorial waters.

Meanwhile, Russian lawmakers have begun legislative procedures intended to terminate bilateral fisheries agreements with so-called "unfriendly" countries, as reported by Undercurrent.