The volume of RV tuna in the East Sakhalin subzone for 2026 is recommended at the level of 30 tons. The future of tuna production in the region depends on the level of development of this raw material base. At the same time, the establishment of the recommended catch does not limit the possibility of developing aquatic biological resources by amateur fishermen.
According to amateur fishing monitoring data, in 2025, in the East Sakhalin subzone, the catch of Pacific bluefin tuna (oriental or bluefin tuna; Thunnus orientalis), with an average length of 177 cm and a weight of 142 kg, amounted to more than 6 tons. In addition to this species, smaller long-fin tuna (white or albacore; Thunnus alalunga) and striped tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) are occasionally found in the waters of Southern Sakhalin. In September-October 2025, amateur fishermen harvested tuna with fishing gear from small-size swimming vessels.
Due to the rare cases of tuna capture in the East Sakhalin subzone in previous periods, the recommended catch (RV) or total allowable catch (TOC) values were not established here.
The appearance of tuna off the coast of eastern Sakhalin in recent years has been associated with the warming and spread of these fish to the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk through the straits of the southern Kuril Islands during seasonal feeding migration following feeding sites. Specialized tuna fishing in this area can be carried out with hooked fishing gear, including trolling.
At the same time, the total stock of bluefin tuna in the Pacific Ocean is estimated to be stable: at the level of 150 thousand tons, with an average annual value of 89 thousand tons.
Thus, taking into account the continuing trend towards climate change and the deep penetration of transformed subtropical waters into the waters of the Russian Far East, there are prerequisites for the further development of industrial tuna fishing in the Far Eastern fisheries basin.
VNIRO Press Service