MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. The fish catch in 2025 is expected to be about five million metric tons, roughly the same as in 2024, Chairman of the Fishing Union Alexander Panin told reporters.

"Looking ahead to 2025, in terms of the catch - we expect it to be at the level of 2024, about five mln metric tons," Panin said.

There is no reason to give a more optimistic forecast given the high key rate, ruble rate fluctuations, continuing tense relations with unfriendly countries, including as regards pressure on Russian partners, and due to the worsened situation with international payments, the expert said. "Therefore, there are two base scenarios: the conservative one - where imports stagnate, and the pessimistic one, where imports go down in terms of weight and value," Panin noted.

In the meantime, a small increase in physical exports is expected in 2025 driven by expectations that the national currency will decline, the expert said. "Fishermen will have to push products to export in order to cover their growing costs," he explained.