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  • 2017 June 28

    Ilya Shestakov, head of Russian Federal Fisheries Agency,tells about fish exports from Russia

    Fishing industry in Russia is undergoing reforms and modernization. Ilya Shestakov, head of Russian Federal Fisheries Agency (Rosrybolovstvo), Deputy Minister of Agriculture, tells IAA PortNews about fish exports from Russia.

    - Mr Shestakov, there have been much speculation about the focus of fishing companies on export. Does the trend persist with added value secured through development of national resources left outside our country? How can the situation be changed? 

    - Introduction of amendments into the industry-focused legislation is intended to change the situation. There is space for maneuver: thanks to countersanctions, Russian fishing companies get a vast free niche in the market. Many entrepreneurs have used the opportunity to boost supplies to the domestic market. In the result, the share of Russian fish in our stores has been increasing starting from the the second half of 2014. In 2016 it grew to 75% versus 50% in 2014.

    Exports make about 40% of total catch. So 60% of fish product does not leave the domestic market – with 4.5 mln t caught it a considerable volume. There is no need to force dampening of exports. Its structure should be changed with exports of finished product rather than raw fish. Frozen pollock accounts for some 60% of exports today. However, part of it returns as imported finished product or minced fish.  

    Yet, I would emphasize that last year saw an increase of fish fillet and other finished product exports. We expect the trend to strengthen when the mechanism of investment quotas is put into operation.  

    Contributed by Rosrybolovstvo.