The ribbon seal (Histriophoca fasciata) is a strikingly marked marine mammal, not a fish, found primarily in the cold waters of the North Pacific and the Sea of Okhotsk. Characterized by its dark body and distinctive white bands, the ribbon seal is primarily hunted for its fur rather than for food. The main countries historically involved in the ribbon seal harvest are Russia and, to a much lesser extent, the United States (specifically Alaska). Russian commercial sealing has accounted for the majority of the catch, especially during the Soviet era, though harvest levels have declined significantly in recent decades due to conservation concerns and decreased demand for seal products. Today, the ribbon seal is not a major focus of large-scale commercial exploitation, and its harvest is largely limited to small-scale or subsistence activities by indigenous peoples in coastal regions.
| Rank | Country | Metric Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russian Federation | 28 |
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.