Russian fishing companies are on track to have a solid pollock catch in 2022, as authorities attempt to boost domestic consumption – even though exports show no signs of dropping.
Russia’s pollock B season, which started on 15 October, is meeting high expectations thus far. According to data from the Russian Federal Agency for Fisheries, the total pollock catch so far this year – including totals from the A season – through 7 November was 921,300 metric tons (MT), an increase of 4 percent over the same period in 2021.
Russia’s Pollock Catchers Association (PCA) said in a statement the pollock quota remaining for season B will allow for up to 157,000 MT of additional catch. The organization forecasts that 55 of 70 ships will catch 110,000 to 140,000 MT, provided favorable weather conditions.
Season A, which ran from 1 January to 9 April, yielded 777,700 MT of pollock in the Sea of Okhotsk, 1.5 percent higher than the same season in 2021. Another 10,600 MT were caught in another subzone during the summer.
Russian authorities and companies are satisfied with the usage rate of the total allowable catch of quota. According to PCA data, this year’s season A TAC utilization rate was 83.6 percent, compared to 75 percent utilization in 2021. If the forecast for season B holds true, the TAC utilization rate for the whole year will be 95 to 98 percent, PCA President Alexey Buglak told Fishnews.
The Russian government and businesses are continuing to seek ways to boost domestic consumption of Russian-caught fish, epsecially pollock, in all formats – including frozen and semi-finished products like surimi.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said in early November the state budget will provide an additional RUB 800 million (USD 13.24 million, EUR 12.9 million) this year in subsidies for the railway transportation of sensitive food, including pollock, from the Russian Far East to the central parts of the country. Government-funded subsidies are allocated for railway companies, who in turn will provide discounted tariffs for food producers and traders.
The government first enacted rail subsidies for food cargo in 2021. This year, so far, it has helped increase the volumes of seafood transported by rail by 12 percent through October to 606,400 MT, which primarily consists of pollock and salmon.
In September, the Fishery Shipowners Association (FSA) signed an agreement with the Industry Union of Social System Nutrition to provide seafood products to Russian schools. In late October, Russian Fishery Company’s processing plant dubbed Russian Pollock – which is an FSA member – designed new formulations for pollock, including semi-finished products, which can be used for cooking dishes in school. According to the company, a tasting session featuring a focus group showed students enjoyed the new products.
Photo courtesy of Russian Fishery Company
