Russia's Fishnews Reports Dramatic Drop in Far Eastern Sardine Catch

Key Data & Year-on-Year Comparison

On November 4, Fishnews cited a review by the Pacific Branch of TINRO, reporting that as of early November, the cumulative catch of Far Eastern sardines in the Sea of Japan was 3,180 tons. The Primorsky Krai sub-area accounted for approximately 3,200 tons as of November 1.

This is a massive drop compared to last year. On November 4, 2025, the catch was 51,300 tons—a season that was already labeled as weak.

Operational Updates & Weather Impact

No fishing for Far Eastern sardines took place in the South Kuril Islands this year. Last week, five vessels operated in Peter the Great Bay: Kirovka, Tikhmenevo, Ekarma, Oktyabr, and Uzon. Operations started in Ussuri Bay but shifted to Posyet Bay due to a storm, seeking warmer surface waters. Daily catches varied wildly from 0.1 to 41.1 tons, with an average of 15.9 tons.

Mackerel and Other Species

Mackerel catches are nearly non-existent at just 14 tons, compared to 1,400 tons on the same date in 2025.

For other species, Russian vessels wrapped up their Pacific saury season on October 27 with a total catch of 358 tons. Foreign fleets had caught about 35,600 tons (30.8% of the high-seas quota) by October 24.