Russia has broken its own ban on fish imports from the European Union.
The country, which earlier this month announced a “full embargo” on food imports from the EU, US, Norway, Canada and Australia, has made an exception to allow the importation of Norwegian salmon and brown trout fry for its own breeding facilities.
Russia previously imported about half of its food from abroad.
The import ban – introduced in response to US and EU sanctions on Moscow amid escalating tensions over the crisis in Ukraine – affects seafood, meat and dairy items.
It has forced Russia to try to become more self-sufficient and left exporters in other countries shut out of the market.
Scottish exports of food and drink to Russia were worth £89million in 2010.
It was the biggest export market by volume for Scottish herring and mackerel before the ban.
Fishing chiefs in this country fear the lost sales could have a devastating effect on their industry.
Diplomatic efforts to resume exports of Scottish produce to Russia as soon as possible are ongoing.
Russia has also acquired a taste for Scottish farmed salmon in recent years .
The Scottish Salmon Company, which employs more than 400 people at 60 locations across the Highlands and islands, first broke into the market about three years ago.
“Russia has one of the fastest growing demands for salmon so introducing them to a prime Scottish product now is very timely,” the Edinburgh firm’s then chief executive, Stewart McLelland, said at the time.
According to media reports in Norway, the ban exemption for Norwegian salmon fry and brown trout fry was enacted in a decree signed by Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev on August 20.
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have been fighting the Kiev government since April, which has led to tit-for-tat trade sanctions between Moscow and the west.