Salary growth in the fishing industry exceeded the Russian average in the first half of the year
September 8th, 2025
This is 17.4% higher than the same period in 2024. This growth rate exceeds the Russian average, which was +15.1% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Fishermen's wages remain consistently at twice the Russian average (96,200 rubles).
Among the major sectors of the Russian economy, fishermen's wages are traditionally second only to those in finance and insurance (199,000 rubles), with the gap in January-June being only 1,400 rubles.
Wages in fish processing consistently significantly exceed those in meat and vegetable processing. Thus, the average salary of those employed in the "Processing and Preservation of Fish, Crustaceans, and Mollusks" sector in the first half of the year was 95,100 rubles, in the "Processing and Preservation of Meat and Meat Food Products" sector it was 77,000 rubles, and in the "Processing and Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables" sector it was 71.7%.
The fishing industry remains the driver of income growth for workers in coastal regions. In the vast majority of the top 10 regions, wages in the fishing industry exceed the average (up to 3.7 times). The highest wage level for the first half of the year was in the Magadan Region (302,400 rubles). The top ten regions for this indicator also included the Republic of Karelia, Murmansk Region, Khabarovsk Krai, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Sakhalin Region, Primorsky Krai, Kamchatka Krai, Arkhangelsk Region (excluding the Nenets Autonomous Okrug), and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.
Wages in the fishing industry have consistently been among the highest in the Russian economy throughout the entire period covered by Rosstat data (since 2017). This is due to the expeditionary, shift-based nature of work in the challenging conditions of the marine fishing industry. Wages account for approximately 27% of production costs on fishing vessels.
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