Global snow crab production is projected to reach approximately 150,000 tons in 2026. Russian enterprises will account for more than a third of this volume – exceeding 50,000 tons. This harvest level will set a record for the Russian fishing industry.
In the international market, the term snow crab primarily refers to the opilio species. This crustacean inhabits the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea, with major fishing grounds concentrated off the coast of Kamchatka. Harvesting volumes have increased for the second consecutive year. In 2025, the Kamchatka fleet caught 477 tons of opilio in the Karaginsky subzone and the Western Bering Sea zone, alongside 216 tons of Bairdi crab. The total harvesting volume of all crab species in the waters managed by the North-Eastern Territorial Administration of the Federal Agency for Fishery exceeded 25,000 tons.
The increase in production follows the natural recovery of the opilio population in the Russian Far East and the subsequent expansion of fishing quotas. The total catch of all crab species in Russia reached 95,000 tons in 2025. Alongside the growth in harvesting volumes, demand is rising within the domestic market, which is receiving a larger supply of accessible crustacean species.
The majority of the Far Eastern catch is exported to markets in the Asia-Pacific region due to current restrictions on deliveries to the United States. South Korea and China serve as the key importers. In 2025, China purchased 45,800 tons of Russian crab products, bringing the share of Russian suppliers to over 30 percent of total crab imports into the country.