Russian fish catch exceeds 2.6 million tonnes as Far East supplies over 70%
Russia’s fish catch has exceeded 2.6 million tonnes and remains broadly level with last year, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev said. The Far East accounts for more than 70% of national catches, with herring performing above expectations in 2026 and pollock and crab fisheries also progressing successfully.
Catch remains close to last year’s level
Russia’s fish catch has exceeded 2.6 million tonnes, providing enough production to serve the domestic market and meet export objectives, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev said in an interview with Izvestia ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum.
InvestFuture, reporting Patrushev’s comments, said the overall pace of fishing was broadly in line with last year. The statement did not provide a full-year forecast, a breakdown between domestic sales and exports, or comparable catch figures for the previous period.
The available data nevertheless indicate that Russia continues to operate a large fishing base while supplying both domestic processors and overseas customers. The balance between these destinations will depend on species availability, processing capacity and commercial demand.
Far East contributes more than 70%
More than 70% of Russia’s fish catch comes from the Far Eastern region, according to Patrushev. This makes the area central to raw-material supply for Russian seafood processors and to the country’s ability to fulfil export orders.
The concentration also means that fishing conditions, fleet operations and handling capacity in the Far East have an outsized effect on national output. Catch volumes from the region influence the availability of fish for freezing, processing and distribution across Russia as well as for delivery to foreign markets.
No regional tonnage or port-level figures were disclosed. However, a share above 70% shows that national supply depends heavily on the performance of the Far Eastern fishing industry rather than being evenly distributed across Russia’s fishing regions.
Herring exceeds expectations
Patrushev said conditions in the herring fishery were better than expected in 2026. Pollock and crab harvesting was also proceeding successfully, although no separate catch volumes or growth rates were given for the three species.
The species mix matters to different parts of the value chain. Herring and pollock support large-volume processing and consumer markets, while crab represents a distinct commercial segment. Strong fishing results can improve raw-material availability, but their effect on prices and export earnings cannot be assessed without sales, inventory and destination data.
The official assessment presents current production as sufficient for both Russian consumption and export commitments. For producers, processors and traders, the next indicators will be the final seasonal catch, the allocation of volumes between domestic and foreign buyers, and whether the stronger-than-expected herring fishery is sustained.
