Russia Proposes Extending Bering Sea Winter-Spring Fishing Restrictions for Another Year as Pollock Biomass Rises Nearly 50% from 2024
Russia's Ministry of Agriculture has opened public consultation on a draft order setting 2027 Bering Sea fishing restrictions, proposing to extend winter-spring fishing bans in the West Bering Sea and Karaginsky subzones for another year. Industry scientific surveys show that total pollock biomass in 2026 grew nearly 1.5-fold compared with 2024, with fishing efficiency recovering to the 27-year average.
Russia's Ministry of Agriculture has submitted a draft departmental order setting 2027 Bering Sea fishing restrictions for public discussion. The draft proposes extending winter-spring fishing restriction measures in the West Bering Sea and Karaginsky subzones for another year.
According to the draft, in the West Bering Sea and Karaginsky subzones, fishing with longline gear is proposed to be closed again until the end of March, while the ban on fishing with trawls and Danish seines would continue until April 15. Scientific and monitoring fishing are not subject to the restrictions.
Similar restrictions were implemented in 2025–2026. Accompanying materials note that these measures had a positive impact on the state of pollock (狭鳕, Gadus chalcogrammus) stocks. Results of a bottom trawl survey conducted by industry scientific institutions in 2026 showed that the total pollock biomass recorded in the Karaginsky and West Bering Sea subzones grew nearly 1.5-fold compared with 2024 data. Over the same period, fishing efficiency rose from 5.43 tonnes per vessel-day to 7.09 tonnes, recovering to the average level of the past 27 years.
The draft is currently at the public discussion stage and is intended to continue imposing restrictions on winter-spring fishing in the Bering Sea in 2027.