 The stoat was a fundamental item in the fur trade of the Soviet Union, with no less than half the global catch coming from within its borders.The Soviet Union also contained the highest grades of stoat pelts, with the best grade North American pelts being comparable only to the 9th grade in the quality criteria of former Soviet stoat standards.Stoat harvesting never became a specialty in any Soviet republic, with most stoats being captured incidentally in traps or near villages.