There is a risk of salmon price growth in Russia

Prices for salmon fish may rise in Russia. We are talking about pink salmon, which is the most affordable for Russians today, as well as other species such as seabream, silver salmon, salmon, chinook, and chum salmon. This "Izvestia" was told in the Association of salmon producers of Kamchatka and the Association of fishing enterprises of the Sakhalin region. The reason may be the adoption of a government bill that changes the conditions of salmon fishing in the country.

The government submitted the document to the State Duma on December 24, 2024, its developer was Rosrybolovstvo. According to the draft law, all companies that harvest salmon fish in Russia must renegotiate contracts for the use of fishing grounds by December 30, 2025. In the explanatory note to the document, budget revenues from this process are estimated at almost 200 billion rubles. However, as industry representatives reported, they may lack the financial capacity to fulfill these requirements.

"The date specified in the bill on the renegotiation of contracts this year, unfortunately, raises the question of the termination of the existence of a significant part of the companies of the Kamchatka region, which today is the leader in salmon production in the Russian Federation. We account for up to 80% of the catch," Vladimir Galitsyn, head of the Kamchatka Salmon Producers Association, told Izvestia.

At the same time, according to him, the companies that have been working in these areas for the past 20 years have invested hundreds of billions of rubles in infrastructure and achieved serious results, which today are higher than in the USSR.

"However, today we are offered to extend the sites for 20 years, and we have to pay as for 40 years at a double coefficient. And if we take another 20%, which on top of that we pay to the regional budget, we have to pay the rate of the fee as for 50 years in advance," explained the business representative.

According to him, such a situation will definitely affect the reduction of catch and the growth of the cost of salmon.

This opinion is shared by Maxim Kozlov, President of the Sakhalin Oblast Association of Fishing Enterprises. According to him, in order to find funds to renegotiate contracts, companies will have to apply for loans to banks. But if there is not enough fish, they will not be able to repay the loans, and the fishing companies will face bankruptcy.

Difficulties confirm and in the All-Russian Association of Fishery Enterprises, Entrepreneurs and Exporters (VARPE).

Read more in the exclusive material of "Izvestia":

There will be no bite: salmon fish catches may fall in Russia