China’s Role in Circumventing Russian Seafood Sanctions

Across the UK, concerns have emerged regarding the sale of Russian-caught fish through a backdoor route via China. Allegations suggest that fish processed in Chinese facilities has found its way onto British supermarket shelves, effectively bypassing sanctions imposed against Moscow.

Government officials have privately acknowledged that white fish originating from Russia continues to enter the UK via China, obscuring its ultimate source. This situation raises alarms among trade experts, campaigners, and members of the British fishing industry, who argue that a systemic failure of transparency and regulation persists.

Following President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, supermarkets pledged to eliminate Russian fish from their supply chains. However, reports indicate that thousands of tonnes of fish originally caught in Russia have still been imported annually, featuring products sold by major retailers such as Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, and Asda. Data from HM Revenue & Customs revealed that over 3,800 tonnes of fish identified as originating from Russia entered the UK through the Netherlands last year, yet there is no recorded entry from China.

Current “rules of origin” laws dictate the provenance of imports, distinguishing between where a fish was caught and where it was processed. International trade regulations allow products that have undergone significant transformation in another country—such as code being filleted or breaded—to be legally reclassified as originating from that processing country. Consequently, Russian-caught white fish, including cod and haddock, is deemed substantially transformed in Chinese factories, gaining the origin designation of China.

Since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine, direct imports of seafood from China, which is the largest importer and processor of Russian white fish, have risen steadily. In 2025, more than 76,000 tonnes were shipped to the UK, marking a year-on-year increase of 5.3 percent. Data shows that this trend is largely driven by products such as cod and Alaska pollock, which saw substantial growth, alongside tilapia which surged by 60.4 percent.

Estimates indicate that as of 2024, 64 percent of the UK’s imported Alaska pollock originated in China, together with 27 percent of cod. That same year, China imported 92 percent of its Alaska pollock from Russia, alongside 65 percent for cod. A source from one supermarket acknowledged the existence of a loophole that must be rectified, pointing to the need for changes to be enacted at a higher level, potentially involving the European Commission.

Addressing this issue will likely involve added costs within supply chains, complicating an already intricate landscape. Marco Forgione, director-general at the Institute of Export & International Trade, emphasised that greater efforts are required at the policy and regulatory levels to enhance transparency and traceability in seafood sourcing.

A government spokesman stated that sanctions and additional tariffs on Russian fish have significantly reduced direct imports since the invasion of Ukraine. Moving forward, seafood processors must prioritise the removal of Russian fish from their supply chains, ensuring ongoing vigilance within the sanctions regime.