Germany and France increased their imports of Russian fish products in January–August 2026 even as total EU purchases fell by nine per cent, according to an analysis of Eurostat data by the Russian Fishery Shipowners Association reported on Thursday, October 29.
Germany, the largest EU buyer of Russian fish products, imported 78,100 tonnes over the eight months. This was up 11 per cent from 70,400 tonnes in the same period of 2025. The value of those imports rose 42 per cent to €268.6 million (US$300.4 million).
France's imports rose 21 per cent to 24,500 tonnes, while their value increased 41 per cent to €105.5 million (US$118 million).
Total Russian supplies to the EU fell from 142,700 tonnes to 130,400 tonnes. Shipments to the remaining EU countries dropped from 52,000 tonnes to 27,800 tonnes. Those to Poland fell from 14,200 tonnes to 6,300 tonnes.
Frozen pollock fillets provided the largest increase in both markets. Germany took 67,800 tonnes, up 13 per cent, worth €202.8 million (US$226.8 million). Its cod imports rose 23 per cent to 3,100 tonnes, including 724 tonnes of dried cod compared with 324 tonnes a year earlier.
Pollock and cod made up around 87 per cent of Russian shipments to France. French imports of frozen pollock fillets rose 37 per cent to 16,700 tonnes. Frozen cod fillets increased from 1,600 tonnes to 2,400 tonnes.
"Overall, increasing supplies to world markets remains an extremely difficult task for Russian fish exporters – growth in volumes to individual destinations (such as Germany and France or China) is accompanied by declines in other markets because of prohibitive tariffs and other unfriendly restrictions, or a complete blocking of imports of Russian fish products (as in the US market)," the association said.
The EU excluded Russian-origin fishery products from duty-free and most-favoured-nation treatment under its autonomous tariff quotas for 2024–2026. The US prohibits imports of Russian salmon, cod, pollock and crab, including product processed in third countries.