Putin’s Pollock: US seafood imports fuel Russian war machine

MIAMI– A U.S. restriction on seafood imports from Russia over its invasion of Ukraine was supposed to sap billions of dollars from Vladimir Putins war machine.But imperfections in import guidelines mean that Russian-caught pollock, salmon and crab are most likely to go into the U.S. anyhow, by way of the country essential to seafood supply chains across the world: China.Like the U.S. seafood market, Russian business rely greatly on China to process their catch. Once there, the seafood can be re-exported to the U.S. as a “item of China” because native land labelling isnt required.The outcome is that almost a 3rd of the wild-caught fish imported from China is estimated to have actually been caught in Russian waters, according to an International Trade Commission study of 2019 information. For pollock and sockeye salmon, the rate is even greater– 50% to 75%.” China doesnt catch cod. They dont capture pollock. However yet, theyre one of the largest exporters of these whitefish on the planet,” stated Sally Yozell, a previous policy director at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who now is a senior fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington. “Having it labeled as a Chinese item is actually not fair to the customers and to restaurants.”—— This story was supported by moneying from the Walton Family Foundation. The AP is entirely accountable for all content.—— Fishing is big organization in Russia, one carefully linked to the Kremlin and Putins forecast of power at sea. The nation is the one of the worlds leading seafood producers and was the eighth-largest exporter to the U.S. last year, with more than $1.2 billion worth of sales, the bulk of it king crab.But its unidentified exactly just how much manages to land in the U.S. by way of China, which sent another $1.7 billion in fish to the U.S. in 2015. Nor does the Biden administrations ban require companies importing from China to find out.Among Russias greatest seafood exports is Alaska pollock. A cousin of cod, Alaska pollock is the most collected fish in the U.S., showing up in everything from imitation crabmeat to McDonalds Filet-O-Fish. Every year, giant, drifting factories in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska catch 1.5 million metric lots of the fish, the equivalent of more than four times the weight of the Empire State Building.But the same species is likewise collected in Russia in similar quantities, and once processed and imported from China, fills an important gap in the U.S. market. In lieu of tracing the native land, U.S. producers depend on the name acknowledgment of Alaska pollock to indicate where the fish was captured.” Consumers can have self-confidence that if the name Alaska is on the box it unquestionably comes from Alaskan waters,” insisted Craig Morris, president of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers.Even before the invasion of Ukraine, pressure had actually been constructing to prevent what Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican of Alaska, called “authoritarian” pollock from getting in the U.S. Putin prohibited U.S. seafood in 2014 following American sanctions to punish him for the invasion of Crimea that year. Since then Russian exports getting in the U.S. duty totally free have actually nearly quadrupled in value.U.S. trade information analyzed by The Associated Press reveal that the greatest importer of Russian-caught pollock from China in 2015 was High Liner Foods. The business did not react to the APs request for comment.While overshadowed by Russias role as an energy powerhouse, Russias seafood industry has actually increasingly been flexing its own muscle with strong support from the Kremlin.Two of the nations biggest seafood exporters– Vladivostok-based Russian Fishery Co. and Russian Crab– are owned by Gleb Frank, the son of Putins former transport minister and head of state-owned shipbuilder Sovcomflot. Frank, called Russias “Crab King,” is likewise the son-in law of among Russias richest men, Gennady Timchenko, who was among the first oligarchs approved following the 2014 invasion of Crimea.With generous state loans, Franks business have actually been at the forefront of an effort to renew Russias aging fleet. In 2015, throughout a Navy Day ceremony at a St. Petersburg shipyard with Putin and 50 warships looking on, he released an advanced supertrawler capable of transporting 60,000 lots of pollock per year.After Frank himself was hit with U.S. sanctions last month, he sold part of his ownership stakes in both seafood business and resigned as chairman. Russian Fishery Co. did not react to a comprehensive list of concerns about the U.S. embargo however Russian Crab stated Frank has never contributed in management of the company.Its not just the industrys ties to the Kremlin that are driving concern.For years, activists have complained about Russias bad record caring for the oceans. The nation was ranked No. 2 out of 152 countries in a recent research study of worldwide efforts to fight illegal, unreported and uncontrolled fishing. Only China scored worse.Allegations of unlawful fishing have even followed Russia to the south pole, where a Russian ship in 2020 was implicated of fabricating its place information to fish illegally off season. A Russian observer was likewise discovered to be behind anomalous catch information from numerous Antarctic fishing vessels. In both cases, Russia rejected any wrongdoing.At a congressional hearing this month on the Russian seafood ban, Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, led calls for the expansion of NOAAs Seafood Import Monitoring Program, which aims to prevent prohibited seafood from getting in U.S. supply chains by tracking deliveries from the point of catch. Currently the program covers simply 13 species, only two of which– red king crab and Atlantic cod– are fished by Russia.” Until that takes place, Russian seafood will continue to line supermarket racks and American customers will continue to unsuspectingly support Putins war maker,” Huffman said.Peter Quinter, a previous U.S. Customs Service lawyer, stated that the Biden administration can quickly close the China loophole by requiring importers to examine their supply chains to ensure none of their fish comes from Russia.” They can and must repair this,” stated Quinter, who now recommends seafood business on compliance with American trade law. “The old days of making certain your fish is captured in a single place or country is no longer the case.”—— Wieffering reported from Washington.Follow Goodman at @APJoshGoodman and Wieffering at @HelenWieffering—— Contact APs global investigative group at Investigative@ap.org or https://www.ap.org/tips/

MIAMI– A U.S. restriction on seafood imports from Russia over its invasion of Ukraine was supposed to sap billions of dollars from Vladimir Putins war machine.But imperfections in import guidelines imply that Russian-caught pollock, salmon and crab are likely to get in the U.S. anyway, by way of the country essential to seafood supply chains throughout the world: China.Like the U.S. seafood market, Russian business rely greatly on China to process their catch. The country is the one of the worlds leading seafood producers and was the eighth-largest exporter to the U.S. last year, with more than $1.2 billion worth of sales, the bulk of it king crab.But its unidentified exactly how much manages to land in the U.S. by method of China, which sent out another $1.7 billion in fish to the U.S. last year.” Consumers can have confidence that if the name Alaska is on the box it unequivocally comes from Alaskan waters,” insisted Craig Morris, primary executive of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers.Even prior to the invasion of Ukraine, pressure had actually been building to prevent what Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican of Alaska, called “authoritarian” pollock from going into the U.S. Putin banned U.S. seafood in 2014 following American sanctions to punish him for the intrusion of Crimea that year. In both cases, Russia rejected any wrongdoing.At a congressional hearing this month on the Russian seafood ban, Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, led calls for the expansion of NOAAs Seafood Import Monitoring Program, which intends to avoid unlawful seafood from going into U.S. supply chains by tracking shipments from the point of catch.” Until that happens, Russian seafood will continue to line grocery store shelves and American consumers will continue to unwittingly support Putins war device,” Huffman said.Peter Quinter, a previous U.S. Customs Service attorney, said that the Biden administration can quickly close the China loophole by needing importers to examine their supply chains to make sure none of their fish comes from Russia.