Far East Faces Salmon Industry Collapse

For example, in 2018, 435 thousand tons were extracted, in 2021 — 490 thousand tons, and in 2023 — almost 500 thousand tons.

Consensus

• Salmon catches in the Russian Far East are at a record low.
• The 2026 salmon run is expected to be the worst in recent history.
• Low catches are reported across Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Magadan Oblast, Khabarovsk Krai, Chukotka, and Primorsky Krai.
• The predicted catch volume is 110,000 tons, but actual harvests are far below this figure.
• On Kamchatka, only 45,000 tons of salmon have been caught so far.
• Prices for salmon have risen to 470 rubles per kilogram.
• Caviar prices have reached 15,000–16,000 rubles per kilogram in some areas.
• Fishing companies on western Kamchatka have suffered losses of up to 17 billion rubles.
• The situation is attributed to global oceanic changes affecting fish populations.

Points of divergence

• Some fishing companies brought 450 workers to Kamchatka, spending up to 140 million rubles on transport, but caught less than 60 tons of fish. — tg_govorit_nemoskva
• Caviar prices reached 16,000 rubles per kg on Kamchatka and 15,000 rubles per kg in Magadan Oblast. — tg_govorit_nemoskva
• The 2024 salmon catch on Sakhalin was four times higher than the current year's harvest. — tg_moscowtimes_ru
• The 2025 salmon catch in Magadan Oblast was 13,000 tons. — tg_govorit_nemoskva

Coverage (2 sources)

• On the Far East warned of risk of collapse of fish industry of the region due to record drop in catches — The Moscow Times
• On the Far East — record drop in salmon catches and roe for 16 thousand — Говорит НеМосква

Key entities

• Far East
• Russia
• Kamchatki
• Primorye
• Chukotka
• Khabarovsk Krai
• Magadan Oblast
• Sakhalin
• Main 41
• Salmon Fishers Association
• Vladimir Galitsyn