On board deep processing of pollock, 1st half of 2026

Sustainable fisheries

July 7th, 2026

In the first half of 2026, fishermen produced 663,500 tons of pollock, Russia's main commercial species, on fishing vessels at sea.

Due to a 2.7% decline in pollock catch compared to January-June 2025 (from 1.27 to 1.24 million tons), output volume decreased by 1.8%. At the same time, fishermen maintained the high level of deep processing achieved last year.

According to an analysis of production indicators conducted by the Fishery Shipowners Association, the share of deep processing products (fillets, minced meat, surimi, fishmeal) of the total output on board was 24%, consistent with last year's level. Thirty percent of the catch was used for the production of fillets, minced meat, and surimi. Onboard production of these products totaled 110,800 tons (111,900 tons in 2025). The volume of fishmeal, produced primarily from waste from primary production, totaled 49,800 tons (52,000 tons in 2025).

The investment quota program, which includes the construction of both processing vessels equipped with factories and onshore plants, has contributed to the development and improvement of the quality of deep processing of pollock and other aquatic biological resources directly on fishing vessels. According to ASRF estimates, since the program's inception, the share of Russian pollock catches used for the production of key deep-processed products at sea and onshore has increased more than 2.5-fold.