Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture has announced a quota increase for pollock caught in its Far East Basin fishery in 2025, a move counter to both scientific advice and requests from some national fishing groups.
Russia was initially considering cutting its pollock quota, with the Russian Federal Fisheries Agency (Rosrybolovstvo) Head Ilya Shestakov acknowledging requests from the Association of Fishing Fleet Shipowners (ASFF), the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters (VARPE), and the Association of Pollock Harvesters (ADM) for a decrease of the total allowable catch. The TAC for pollock for Russian fisheries in 2024 was 2.285 million metric tons (MT), an increase over the 2.06 million MT quota in 2023.
Shestakov met with members of the industry in June, and according to Rosrybolovstvo industry leaders requested a lower quota to maintain a better price for pollock.
“We understand the importance of maintaining profitability and export revenue, including for the country’s budget,” Shestakov said at the time. “Now, the balance of supply and demand is leveling out, the catch is stable, and pollock has shown good results. Our task is to maintain this trend, load new vessels for processing fillets and minced meat, and increase export volumes.”
The All-Russian Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) also proposed a slightly lower quota of 2.26 million MT for 2025, following surveys of the stock.
However, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture announced an increase in the Far East pollock fishing quota for 2025 to 2.46 million MT, up 7 percent year over year.
It increased the TAC for the Sea of Okhotsk 21 percent to 1.155 million MT. The Northern Okhotsk and Western Kamchatka subregions were allocated 361,800 MT each, the Kamchatka-Kury subregion received 281,400 MT, and the Eastern Sakhalin subregion received 150,000 MT. The Western Bering Sea area was also increased, to 775,200 MT.
Eastern Kamchatka will receive 171,500 MT of quota, the Northern Kuril Islands will receive 120,900 MT, the Southern Kuril Islands will receive 141,000 MT, the Chukchi Sea will receive 30,600 MT, the Chukotka area will receive 7,800 MT, and the Sea of Japan will receive 58,500 MT.
The increased quota comes as members of Russia’s fishing industry have cautioned that the higher cost of exports, coupled with fewer exports and lower prices, is placing strain on the industry.
Pollock exporters are dealing with duties on seafood that the government implemented in 1 October 2023, and pollock exports have fallen in both volume and value. Part of that drop comes as China – Russia’s largest trading partner for seafood – is importing slightly less seafood at lower prices, China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance Xue Guang Wang said during Russia’s Fishery Forum, according to Fishnews.
Russia is also approaching the cutoff date to finalize its withdrawal from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), which sets scientific recommendations for fishing quotas across Europe.
Russia has begun making amendments to its fishing regulations signaling its intention to leave ICES. In August 2024, Russia approved a proposal to denounce ICES, initiating the process of officially leaving the organization. That bill will be considered by the Russian Duma on 22 October.
ICES temporarily banned Russian delegates from participating in the organization’s activities in April 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine. Russia began threatening to pull out of the organization in 2023 if the suspension was not lifted, with Shestakov calling it a “pseudo-scientific organization.”
