Parts of the fleet are chartered or sold to private Ukrainian or foreign-chartering companies. At the same time, traditional artisanal fisheries using passive fishing gear continued to operate. The more intensive, highly mechanized fishery in the Black and Azov Seas operated from the late 1960s to 1986. There is also a fishery targeting the valuable sturgeon, but official annual catches are only about 200 mt. As well as an essential source of food, this type of fishing is a traditional source of employment and income for local people.
Traditional fisheries target most local species.
At present, the share of fishery cooperatives is decreasing and there is a growing number of private and joint-stock enterprises, as well as joint ventures. Since 1992, after Ukraine, Georgia and Russia had regained their independence, access to Georgian and Russian waters was restricted for Ukrainian vessels. Most inland water production comes from water reservoirs. At present, most freshwater production comes from ponds. In 1993, mussel production attained 187 tonnes.