A key priority for the industry remains the domestic market

Changing the model: from exporting raw materials to valuable products

RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Thursday, September 11, 2025, 06:00 (GMT + 9)

Russia's Fishing Industry Modernizes, Driving a Surge in Value-Added Exports

By mid-August, Russian enterprises have exported more than 1.3 million tons of fish and fish products, a 5% increase over the same period last year. In monetary terms, export revenue has grown by a remarkable 12%, thanks to a strategic shift from raw material exports to the sale of high-value processed products.

This transformation is the direct result of a comprehensive modernization of the industry, underpinned by the investment quota program. This program, which has been in effect since 2017, provides incentives for companies to build modern fishing vessels and coastal processing plants in exchange for guaranteed catch quotas. As of early 2025, the program has delivered a total of 40 vessels, including 23 fishing vessels and 17 crab boats, with an additional 12 expected by the end of the year.

This new infrastructure is making it possible to produce a wider range of in-demand goods, such as fillets, minced fish, steaks, and canned products, directly at sea or on the coast. As a result, Russia has cemented its position as one of the world's top three exporters of frozen fish fillets. In the first quarter of 2025, Russia's export of fish fillets saw a significant increase of 61% in volume, reaching 50 thousand tons, and a 72% rise in value, exceeding $140 million. Pollock fillet is the main export product, accounting for 86% of total fish fillet and minced fish exports in the first half of 2025.

The fishing industry's success extends beyond fillets. Exports of fish waste products, such as fish oil, also grew by 21% in the past year. Overall, in the first half of 2025, Russia exported 1.12 million tons of seafood, with a total value of $2.8 billion, showing that the country is not only increasing its export volumes but also the value of its exports.

A key priority for the industry remains the domestic market, which is supplied with fresh catches first. According to the Federal Agency for Fishery (Rosrybolovstvo), Russian fishermen are now capable of catching all the main types of fish and other aquatic bioresources required for the country's own consumption.

editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media

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