Western sanctions will almost halve Russian seafood imports this year, with the combined effects of supply restrictions, the depreciation of the rouble, as well as the rocketing costs of refrigerated logistics.
The cut will bring numbers near to 2014 levels, when trade embargoes and the economic crisis dragged Russia's seafood imports down 47 percent in volume to 472,000 metric tons and 53 percent in value to $1.36 billion (€1.23 billion).
"However, we believe that the current situation also creates new opportunities for Russian fishermen," said President of Russia's Pollock Catchers Association (PCA) Alexey Buglak.
