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The FSA called for eliminating the gap in fish supplies for children.

September 1st, 2026

The current option to replace fish dishes with other protein sources significantly complicates the implementation of the Russian President's October 2025 directive to actively promote fish in school meals nationwide. Stanislav Aksyonov, President of the Fishery Shipowners Association (FSA), emphasized this during the Eastern Economic Forum session "Concerning Future Generations: Creating a Baby Food Industry in the Far East."

The head of the FSA drew legislators' attention to the need to eliminate this option.

Commenting on this proposal, State Duma Deputy Irina Yarovaya noted the importance of creating an industry to guarantee access to the product nationwide and developing high-tech production that will provide fish from the Far East to central Russia. The parliamentarian emphasized the important role of fishermen in this process, promising legislative support: "We will help you, don't even doubt it," Yarovaya assured.

As Stanislav Aksyonov noted, an analysis of the Ministry of Education's data on the availability of fish in school meals showed that no Russian region has achieved the target indicators in this area. He cited the lack of a sufficient supply of fish dishes meeting schoolchildren's needs in previous years as one of the reasons. As the experience of the FSA shows, this situation is changing today. The association previously noted that the methodological recommendations on baby food recently issued by Rospotrebnadzor are promoting progress in this direction.

"Fish processors have begun developing good baby food recipes and high-quality end-use products that schoolchildren would enjoy eating. Until now, the fish offered was not of the quality or in the form children could consume. And here, I can't help but note the apt words of Irina Anatolyevna Yarovaya: our most important consumer is the child. And we must focus on them," the head of the FSA concluded.