Russian seafood still reaches US plates despite ban, report says
7 reported
According to a report from NPR, Russian seafood continues to reach American consumers despite a U.S. ban imposed in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The ban targeted Russian exports including seafood, but fish caught by Russian vessels is still entering the U.S. market through processing plants in China. The report explains that under trade law, the country of origin on a label is where the fish was last “radically transformed,” not necessarily where it was caught. Russian fish is sold to Chinese processors, where it is turned into products like breaded fish fingers, canned pink salmon, or imitation crab, and then exported to the U.S. with a label indicating it is from China. A study co-authored by University of Washington assistant professor Jessica Gephart found that before the invasion, about 90% of Russian seafood sold in the U.S. came through these Chinese plants, and that number did not change significantly after the initial ban. New rules and executive orders have since been added to close the China loophole, but the system remains imperfect, and Russia’s commercial fishing industry reported record revenues in 2025 with increased shipments to China.
What’s reported
The U.S. banned Russian seafood imports in 2022 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian fish enters the U.S. through Chinese processing plants, where it is transformed into products like breaded fish fingers, canned pink salmon, or imitation crab.
Under trade law, the country of origin on a label is where the fish was last “radically transformed,” not where it was caught.
Before the invasion, about 90% of Russian seafood sold in the U.S. came through Chinese processing plants, according to a study by Jessica Gephart.
That percentage did not change significantly after the initial ban, based on the most recent data available to Gephart.
New rules and executive orders have been added to ban fish coming through the China loophole.
Russia’s commercial fishing industry reported record revenues in 2025 with a big increase in shipments to China.
Key figures
Jessica Gephart, assistant professor at the University of Washington who studies the seafood trade.
Wailin Wong, reporter from The Indicator.
Nate Hegyi, reporter from New Hampshire Public Radio.
Michel Martin, host.
Sources: NPR
