Iwashi sardine is shifting toward Primorye: the fishing potential has been estimated at 200 thousand tonnes

Iwashi sardine has begun an active approach into the Primorye subzone. This opens up new opportunities for Russia’s fisheries sector, the Federal Agency for Fisheries said, citing agency head Ilya Shestakov. Fishing for this species will help balance nationwide catch figures.

Scientists at the All-Russian Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) link the shift in routes to changing oceanographic conditions. Warming in the Sea of Japan is helping the sardine move north. In recent years, the Pacific population has almost stopped approaching the Southern Kurils, where the main fishery has been conducted since 2016; meanwhile, the population of the Tsushima (Sea of Japan) stock is increasing.

In summer, iwashi schools reach the Tatar Strait, and in autumn they concentrate in Peter the Great Bay. Because of these changes, catches in the Southern Kurils area in 2025–2026 are losing relevance, as the fish move into the open Pacific Ocean.

Already in the second half of October, average daily catches in Peter the Great Bay reach 23.3 tonnes per vessel.

Under favorable natural conditions and with the development of a specialized fishery, iwashi sardine could become an additional significant resource. The potential catch of Tsushima sardine in the future is up to 200 thousand tonnes.