By October 1, Russian fishing companies are required to transfer 41.35 billion rubles to the state budget. This represents the first installment for the right to harvest Pacific salmon in designated areas over the next twenty years. Due to a record decline in catches during the current season, numerous enterprises in the Far East are declining long-term contracts and lease extensions.
The salmon fishing season concluded in almost all commercial areas by September 20. The total catch volume amounted to approximately 97,400 tons – a figure three and a half times lower than the previous year and 2.4 times below the 2024 results. The unsuccessful season has reduced the number of companies capable of providing the necessary funds, significantly shrinking the pool of potential leaseholders following industry assessments at the Eastern Economic Forum.
A withdrawal of commercial operations is evident across the regions. In Kamchatka, users of 87 percent of available fishing areas submitted applications to renew their contracts by April 1, while leaseholders abandoned 125 sites. Demand in Sakhalin proved even lower – applications were received for only 75 percent of the areas, leaving 130 sites unclaimed. Across Russia, documents were submitted for 3,337 of the 6,638 fishing zones subject to the redistribution procedure. Approximately 31 percent of users bypassed the opportunity to extend their leases.
The total financial obligation for salmon harvesters to utilize these areas stands at 165.39 billion rubles. Under the approved regulatory framework, these funds must be remitted over a three-year period following the execution of new contracts. The financial burden on the fisheries sector has increased following a systematic government revision of the methodology used to calculate fees for the exploitation of biological resources.