Russian Ministry of Agriculture banned live king crab export

Russia's Ministry of Agriculture has banned all exports of live red king crab in the Russian Far East EEZ.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture Vladimir Izmailov, this measure is taken to stop illegal fishing and thus to prevent the stocks from total depletion.

As Deputy Minister explained, this is done also because now live king crabs are illegally exported to Japan and other countries without undergoing customs clearance of consignments of live red king crabs.

What is more important not only male species but female as well are being shipped for export despite the fact that capture female crabs is prohibited by Russian regulation.

In this situation Russian scientists are raising the issue of a complete ban of red king crab fishery in the Russian Far East, said Deputy Minister.