Russian Government supports cancellation of import tariffs for capelin

According to the Russian Government, this measure aims to fight inflation, to increase supplies of capelin to the domestic market reducing the shortage of raw materials on the Russian market as well as to develop fish processing industry.

On the one hand, taking into account good harvests of capelin and low prices of the species in Norway, cancellation of tariffs can be harmful for Russian fishermen in comparison with Russian importers. The price of capelin in Murmansk amounts to RUR12.00 per kilo while in Norway it is about RUR5.00 per kilo. Russian capelin quota in 2011 amounted to 110,000 - 130,000 tonnes.

Consumption of capelin in Russia amounts to 80,000 - 100,000 tonnes per year, in 2010 80,000 tonnes of capelin were harvested by Russian fishermen, that is 2.9% more in comparison with the previous year.

Export of capelin from Russia has been also increasing as well as the demand on the domestic market especially of fresh and chilled fish.