Saving Seafood

Russian crab flows to South Korea amid sanctions, China’s lockdowns

April 12, 2022 — Exporters from Russia are shipping more crab to South Korea after being locked out of other international markets.

Many of the world’s biggest markets for crab, including the U.S., the E.U., the U.K. have announced bans on Russian seafood imports in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Simultaneously, Chinese government has imposed lockdowns in Shanghai and several other cities to control a COVID-19 outbreak, a move expected to hinder inflows of seafood to China.

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ICES suspends Russia’s membership over invasion of Ukraine

April 11, 2022 — The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has temporarily banned Russian delegates from participating in the organization’s activities until further notice in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine – a move Russia claims will backfire by hampering the council’s scientific research.

On its website, ICES said that since the beginning of the Russian invasion, member-countries “have instructed their scientists and representatives to either boycott or avoid engagement in activities where representatives of the Russian Federation are present.”

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US Senate moves to end normal trade with Russia, but seafood ban “unenforceable”

April 7, 2022 — The U.S. Senate voted unanimously on 7 April to end normal trade relations with Russia, at the same time as a hearing of the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife attempted to address what members called an “unenforceable” ban on Russian seafood imports.

The Senate vote, coming in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, effectively gives Russia the same trade status as other “pariah” states like North Korea, and will allow U.S. President Joe Biden to continue tightening trade with the country and allow for tariffs of up to 25 percent on Russian seafood – if and when the recently enacted seafood ban is lifted. The decision by the Senate, which according to ABC News is likely to be supported by the House and later signed by Biden, also impacts Belarus and effectively ends “most-favored nation” trading status between the U.S. and Russia.

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EU’s new Russia sanctions package includes ban on seafood

April 6, 2022 — A fifth round of sanctions against Russia, including a ban on imports of Russian seafood, has been proposed by the European Commission, amid fresh allegations Russia has committed war crimes during its invasion of Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday, 5 April, she expected seafood to be among EUR 5.5 billion (USD 6 billion) worth of specific import bans, along with wood, cement, alcohol, and other products. Von der Leyen said the move would seek to “cut the money stream of Russia and its oligarchs,” and also close financial loopholes that currently exist between Russia and Belarus.

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Russian salmon expert worried international sanctions could threaten ongoing sustainability efforts

April 5, 2022 — Natasha Novikova is the founder of ForSea Solutions, a sustainability and technical consultancy for the seafood industry based in the U.S. state of Oregon that was formed in 2016 to provide technical guidance to U.S. and Russian fisheries working to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification and implement fishery improvement projects (FIPs). It has provided technical guidance and leadership support to more than 30 Russian salmon and pollock fishing companies, helping them to achieve MSC certification, and an additional five that are currently in various stages of advancing toward MSC levels of sustainability. Novikova has also worked to connect Russian salmon firms with High Liner Foods, The Fishin’ Company, and Gorton’s.

SeafoodSource: What are the salmon companies you’ve worked with in Russia going through right now, following the international sanctions that have been placed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine?

Novikova: Most of my clients were in shock and disbelief for the first week to 10 days due to this completely new reality for their potential markets. But now they are generally optimistic that the sanctions will pass and business will be back to normal. I think that for them, it’s just the way they’re dealing with the situation. I’m pretty certain that there’s a huge portion of the Russian population, and the Russian business community as well, who just want stability.

Russia’s salmon season starts in June or July [depending on the region]. The fishermen are actively planning for the fishing season. Right now, they’re still relying on the notion that this will pass and there will be a new opportunity, whatever emerges. I’m quite sure most of the companies are having conversations with buyers, especially in countries that haven’t issued sanctions, and trying to line up markets for the upcoming season. Russians are really good about adapting and figuring out ways to survive. They have a mindset of perseverance. Russian people have dealt with many other tragedies and catastrophes in their lives.

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Seafood biz braces for losses of jobs, fish due to sanctions

March 31, 2022 — The worldwide seafood industry is steeling itself for price hikes, supply disruptions and potential job losses as new rounds of economic sanctions on Russia make key species such as cod and crab harder to come by.

The latest round of U.S. attempts to punish Russia for the invasion of Ukraine includes bans on imports of seafood, alcohol and diamonds. The U.S. is also stripping “most favored nation status” from Russia. Nations around the world are taking similar steps.

Russia is one of the largest producers of seafood in the world, and was the fifth-largest producer of wild-caught fish, according to a 2020 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Russia is not one of the biggest exporters of seafood to the U.S., but it’s a world leader in exports of cod (the preference for fish and chips in the U.S.). It’s also a major supplier of crabs and Alaska pollock, widely used in fast-food sandwiches and processed products like fish sticks.

The impact is likely to be felt globally, as well as in places with working waterfronts. One of those is Maine, where more than $50 million in seafood products from Russia passed through Portland in 2021, according to federal statistics.

Read the full story at AP News

Russian pollock keeps MSC certification, but certification body’s future in Russia uncertain

March 30, 2022 — The Vladivostok, Russia-based Pollock Catchers Association (PCA) will be able to keep its Marine Stewardship Council certification so long as it follows through on a plan to conduct more-sustainable fishing in three fishing zones in 2022.

The decision came as the association and the Russian government shared concerns that the MSC may be forced to suspend its presence in the country due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the international sanctions levied against Russia in response.

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Gleb Frank sells Russian Fishery Company and Russian Crab as sanctions hit

March 28, 2022 — Gleb Frank, the founder of two of the largest seafood companies in Russia – Vladivostok-based Russian Fishery Company and Russian Crab – has sold his stakes in both companies to top managers after the U.S. decided to impose sanctions on him.

Frank is the son-in-law of Russian business tycoon Gennady Timchencko, allegedly a close partner of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the sixth-richest person in the world.

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Sanctions on Russian seafood hitting some foodservice operations harder than others

March 24, 2022 — International bans on seafood from Russia – including one imposed on imports to the U.S. by U.S. President Joe Biden and similar tariffs by the United Kingdom – are having a mixed impact on foodservice operators and distributors, with some faring better than others.

The impacts boil down to how much seafood a business typically bought from Russia in the past. Unlike some foodservice distributors and operators that rely on Russian pollock, crab, and other seafood, one major North American foodservice distributor said that Russian seafood sanctions will have minimal impact on its business.

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Japan revokes Russia’s “most-favored nation” status

March 22, 2022 — Japan will follow America’s lead by revoking Russia’s most-favored-nation (MFN) status, resulting in higher prices to Japanese consumers for most imports from the country.

MFN status allows a country to receive the best trade terms given by its trading partner, such as the lowest tariffs or highest import quota, ensuring all countries with the status are treated equally. By revoking the status, Japan will subject imports from Russia to higher tariffs.

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