It was proposed to optimize treasury expenses at the expense of fishermen

The Russian Ministry of Finance intends to cancel the exemption for payment of fees for the use of aquatic biological resources (WBR) or change the mechanism for its purpose. The department came to the conclusion that its use is ineffective. Rosrybolovstvo and market participants generally consider the initiative fair and believe that with a differentiated approach, the benefit can stimulate fish processing. Some analysts say that the Finance Ministry's proposals fundamentally contradict the president's instructions. They are sure: five billion saved on fishermen will not save the Russian budget.

The Ministry of Finance, having analyzed the efficiency of federal budget expenditures, proposed canceling the tax exemption for the use of aquatic biological resources (currently enterprises pay 15% of the fee rate - “Kommersant”) or significantly changing the mechanism for its application. The final report on the results of the activities of expert groups assessing the effectiveness of federal budget expenditures and presenting proposals for their optimization notes that annually fishing enterprises save about 5 billion rubles due to this preference. However, the saved funds do not go towards modernizing the fleet and developing deep fish processing. Therefore, this benefit is ineffective, the Ministry believes. “Instead, the export and raw materials orientation in the industry has become even more entrenched, and when supplying fish products abroad, “gray schemes” are widely used - in order to evade tax and customs payments to the state budget. Thus, it is worth raising the question of canceling this benefit or changing its mechanism,” says the report published on the department’s website. The document does not propose specific ways to adjust benefits.

Rosrybolovstvo considers the proposals of the Ministry of Finance fair. According to the head of the public relations center of Rosrybolovstvo, Alexander Savelyev, differentiation of fee rates for the use of biological resources can really serve as a lever for motivating fishing producers to saturate the domestic market, to develop infrastructure, refrigeration capacity, and fish processing on their native shores. “Collection rates, for example, can be reset to zero for those who work for the domestic market and raised for those who work for export, which from the point of view of logic and common sense would be fair,” said Mr. Savelyev.

It should be noted that the head of the fisheries department, Andrei Krainy, has repeatedly voiced a proposal for a differentiated calculation of the fee for the use of the wetlands. At the same time, the wording changed: Mr. Krainy noted that the rate for exporters could be 50% of the standard rate; another option was also mentioned: it was proposed to take into account the form in which the products are sent abroad.

Market participants believe that the possibility of zeroing the fee rate for the use of aquatic biological resources for those who supply catches for sale on the domestic market or processing within the country could well be used as an incentive measure. However, the initiative to change the principle of calculating fees for exporters of fish products requires a cautious approach and careful calculation of the consequences, they are sure. President of the Association of Fisheries Enterprises of Primorye Georgy Martynov believes that it is impossible to completely cancel the tax benefit. But the authorities could consider the possibility of zeroing the fee rate for the use of aquatic biological resources for those who supply catches for sale on the domestic market or processing within the country. “Everything turns out logical: the state gives fishermen the right to catch aquatic biological resources, and if these catches are delivered to the Russian coast for the purpose of processing or sale, then this rate can be reset to zero,” said Mr. Martynov.

However, businessmen add that the benefit for paying fees for using the VBR is currently the most significant. “Fishermen pay 15% of the fee for using the wetlands. If they paid in full, the amount collected annually would be over 11 billion rubles,” says German Zverev, president of the Association of Pollock Harvesters. The fishermen themselves estimate their actual tax burden at 18% of revenue. According to their estimates, the total volume of benefits for the industry does not exceed 8-8.5 billion rubles. in year.

Experts are sure that benefits cannot be canceled. According to the head of the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters, Alexander Fomin, the abolition of benefits proposed by the Ministry of Finance for the payment of fees for the use of water resources does not correspond to the position of the Government of the Russian Federation, and also contradicts one of the president’s instructions. “The Russian government, on behalf of the president, has already analyzed the effectiveness of the decisions taken regarding the provision of tax benefits to fishing organizations. In the final report, all available benefits on federal taxes and fees were recognized as effective, since they allow maintaining the positive dynamics of development of the fishery complex,” said Mr. Fomin. The interlocutor suggested that, perhaps, in the difficult current economic situation, difficulties arose with the execution of the budget. And the Ministry of Finance is looking for any opportunities to generate budget revenues. “I don’t think that the 5 billion rubles we are talking about will be a significant contribution to resolving this issue. But for fishermen these are significant funds, the withdrawal of which will lead to a decrease in the efficiency of their work, and ultimately, all this will affect the consumer’s wallet,” the expert concluded.

Ksenia Pisareva

The Ministry of Finance is catching money in the water