An increase imports of Russian caught Alaskan pollock into the EU has sparked concerns as claims are made about processing legitimacy. Photo: NOAA
In December last year, an enormous quantity of Russian pollock was sold to buyers in the European Union (EU), coinciding with the expiration of an exemption from import duties on Russian product reports Icelandic news outlet, Morgunblaðið.
This was also the period when new export tariffs were introduced in Russia to fund the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The impact of these events is most evident in the import statistics for Alaskan pollock from China. Chinese fisheries do not typically catch this species. This is clearly evident in the latest EUMOFA monthly highlights, where on page 30 of the report it states the catch countries are “Russian Federation, the United States, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea”. China does not typically catch Alaskan pollock, but they process a large amount of Russian fish, taking advantage of lower labour costs and, since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the relative ease of directing trade through China.
In November, the EU imported 13,220 tonnes of processed Alaskan pollock from China, a 30% increase from October. This figure surged to 28,000 tonnes in December.
Image: EUMOFA
Market Dynamics and Pricing Strategies
Despite this increase in volume, the sale value of these products has seen a decline. This trend is likely due to the higher supply and Russia’s readiness to absorb additional costs from tariffs and sanctions, selling at any price. This practice has drawn criticism for underpricing.
Germany as the Leading Importer
Data from the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA) shows that from the onset of Russia’s invasion in February 2022 until April 2024, EU buyers imported nearly 274,000 tonnes of processed Alaskan pollock from China, worth approximately €904.5 million.
In 2023, the average monthly consumption of Alaska pollock was 191 tonnes in Germany. A year earlier, this value was 11% higher, as well as 18% lower than the three-year average. Average consumption of Alaska pollock in 2024 was 52% lower than in the same period in 2023 and 68% lower than in the same period in 2021. In 2024, German consumers paid an average of €14.92 per kg for Alaska pollock, which remained stable when compared to the same period in 2023 (€14,93).
Among the 25 EU member states receiving these imports, Germany is the largest importer, accounting for 170,500 tonnes, or 62% of the total. France follows with just over 13%, Poland with 10.3%, and the Netherlands with 13,500 tonnes or 4.9%. Other countries import 1.5% or less during this period.
Image: EUMOFA
Concerns Over Russian Fish Mislabeling
Einar Gustafsson, CEO of American Seafoods, expressed strong criticism of Russian business practices in an interview with Morgunblaðið. He pointed out American Seafoods is a major producer of pollock products.
Gustafsson criticised Russian trade practices, stating, “Russians label everything as pollock. Imagine if they tried to export Bordeaux wine grown in Crimea to France—it would be poured out at the border. We need the same treatment for wrongly labelled Russian seafood entering the EU.”
This situation underscores the need for stringent measures to ensure that seafood entering the EU market meets sustainability and traceability standards. The call for action aims to prevent Russian seafood from undermining EU market integrity and sustainability efforts.