In the Russian seafood sector, small and medium-sized crab fisheries reported substantial setbacks as production quotas were allocated through auctions, leading to what many described as a historic drop in catch volumes. The issue has drawn attention from major industry observers, with RBC reporting on how these quotas translated into tangible losses for operators who rely on crab as a key revenue stream.
Meanwhile, the Khabarovsk-based Eastern Fishing Company has formally requested permission from President Vladimir Putin to increase its crab harvesting, arguing that current restrictions have driven production down to what they characterize as a near-microscopic level. The company’s appeal, which also circulated to several government officials, reflects broader tensions between fleet capacity, regulatory limits, and the need to sustain livelihoods across the regional fishing communities.
According to a public statement from the Eastern Industrial Company, losses in 2024 ranged from 54% to 85% of their production volumes, with the variance depending on the specific operations and port conditions cited by different sources. This wide span underscores the uneven impact of quota regimes across the sector and highlights the challenge of aligning regulatory aims with the realities faced by individual companies, especially those with substantial fixed costs and long lead times in fishing and processing cycles.
Data from 2023 shows a notable shift in trade flows, with live crab imports from Russia to China increasing by about 31% to reach 23.6 thousand tons. The Shanghai port emerged as the primary entry point for live Kamchatka crabs, handling approximately 2.3 thousand tons over the year. By year-end, the total volume of live seafood arriving at Shanghai’s fishing port had surged more than fivefold compared with the previous year, signaling strong appetite in Chinese markets and demonstrating how geopolitical and regulatory landscapes shape demand and logistics in the North Pacific supply chain.
Earlier commentary from Russian fishermen also touched on restrictions related to export bans to the United States, indicating a broader dialogue about market diversification, compliance requirements, and the strategic options available to large and small operators alike as they navigate changing international trade rules and domestic policy directions.