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Trade in fish
In 1997, fishery exports were worth some US$
51 billion. This represented 10 percent of the
value of agricultural exports and about 1 percent
of total merchandise trade.
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Sorting
prawns in Thailand for the lucrative
export market
FAO/18560/R.Faidutti
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Seychelles:
Unloading frozen tuna
FAO/17423/H.
Wagner
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Nearly half of the fishery export trade originates
in developing countries and is destined largely (85
percent of the total) for developed ones. This
reflects the South's need for foreign exchange and
the fact that fish production in northern countries
is falling, while consumption is on the rise. There
is little trade in food fishery products between
developing countries.
Norway was the leading exporter in 1997 (6.6
percent of the total) followed by China, the United
States, and Denmark (with more than 5 percent each)
and Thailand - which was the leading exporter
between 1993 and 1996. Japan is the leading
importer. In fact, Japan, the United States and the
European Community import 75 percent of traded
fishery products, by value. Since fish is a highly
perishable commodity, most of the international
trade involves processed fish although live, fresh
or chilled fish and shellfish are a small, but
growing, element.
In value terms, frozen crustaceans - shrimp,
crab and lobster - are the main items entering
international trade, accounting for about 38
percent, followed closely by frozen fish at around
35 percent. Canned fish accounts for about 11
percent, with canned tuna the main item.
Fishmeal and fish oil have a 6 percent share of
the global market. The remaining 10 percent
consists of a wide variety of products as
producers, particularly in developing countries,
endeavour to add value to the raw material, whether
it be from capture fisheries or aquaculture.
Fish exports are a valuable source of foreign
exchange for many developing countries, including
some small island countries. Their trade consists
largely of high-value products. Globally,
developing countries are net exporters of fishery
products. Their surplus in foreign exchange
earnings from fish trade was constantly increasing
until 1995 (when it reached US$17.5 billion), but
it eroded slightly in both 1996 and 1997.
Related links
The
Fish Marketing Information Service
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