Russia to triple production in 11 years.
The deputy head of Russia’s Federal Agency for Fisheries Vasily Sokolov has told Tass that the Russian government is drawing up plans to make salmon production account for 37 per cent of all aquaculture by 2030.
“We want to change the species structure of aquaculture. As you see, we [now] have 65% of carp breeding. A different goal is set in our strategy by 2030, that is, salmon should account for at least 37% [in fish farming], because these are the most valuable and promising targets, from our point of view,” Sokolov told the agency.
The official first mentioned the country’s goal of boosting aquaculture at the II Global Fishery Forum in St. Petersburg, last September.
Sokolov told the publication that an area that’s attractive for salmon farms is the Northwestern Federal District comprising Karelia, which, he said “sits on the Gulf Stream and has water warm enough for salmon, despite the freezing winters”. The area already accounts for 88% of trout grown in the country.
“The huge amount of water that can be provided to the business is the key factor in aquaculture development,” Sokolov added.
In 2018, the production of aquaculture trout and Atlantic salmon (salmon) in Russia grew by 20% to 67 thousand tons, reported the Russian Fishery Agency. Last year, 58.7 thousand tonnes of fish of these species were grown in the Northwestern Federal District, 22% more than in 2017, reports Agroinvestor.