3.1.2 East Asia

Japan, Democratic People's Republic

Production and production trends

Figure 3.1.2.1.
East Asia contributed 11.7% and 24.4% of total Asian aquaculture production in terms of quantity and value, respectively, in 1995. Since 1984, production quantity has increased at a low APR of 0.4, or from 2.81 million mt to 2.93 million mt, while value has increased from US$3.73 million to US$8.50 million at an APR of 8.1 (Figure 3.1.2.1). Total production quantity in 1995 decreased by 3.3% from 3.03 million mt in 1994. The fall in the late 1980s was due in a large part to reductions in Taiwan Province of China [Taiwan (PC)]and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPR Korea).

Capture fisheries (including aquatic plants) in the sub-region have declined at an average annual rate of 3.3% since 1984, from 16.25 million mt to 11.27 million mt in 1995. Aquaculture (including plants) accounted for 20.6% of total fishery production in 1995, up from 14.8% in 1984.

Fish and fishery products are extremely important in the sub-region, with per caput supply for Japan at 67.8 kg, the proportion of fish protein in total protein intake being 26% in 1993 (the last year for which data are available). Fish availability per caput in the Republic of Korea and DPR Korea was 52.3kg and 43.6 kg, respectively, and in China, SAR of Hong Kong (referred to as Hong Kong in figures) was 57.9 kg. The percentage of total protein accounted for by fish and fishery products was 18.7%, 18.4% and 16.5 % for China, SAR of Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, and DPR Korea, respectively. These figures are all above the global averages for per caput fish and fishery product availability of 13.4 kg and percentage of fish protein in total protein of 5.6%. The figures are also well above Asian averages of 13.9 kg per caput and 6.7%. However, DPR Korea is currently facing a severe food shortage and fish consumption may have changed substantially as a result.

Figure 3.1.2.2.
Japan and the Republic of Korea have held top positions in production in the sub-region since 1984; their 1995 proportion of sub-regional production being 48% and 34%, respectively. Production from DPR Korea declined from 656,000 mt in 1984 to 216,000 mt in 1995. Taiwan (PC) accounted for 9.8%, DPR Korea 7.5%, and China, SAR of Hong Kong 0.3% (Figure 3.1.2.2). Growth of aquaculture production by quantity was slow in the region with Japan and Taiwan (PC) annually increasing at just over 1%, and the Republic of Korea at 3.6%. Production in China, SAR of Hong Kong was fairly static at a 0.2% increase per year and DPR Korea had an average annual rate of decrease of 9.6%. Production value increased between 7% and 9% per year for Japan, Taiwan (PC), and China, SAR of Hong Kong, whereas in the Republic of Korea, value increased by an average 12.7% per year. In DPR Korea, value decreased at a rate of 1.6% per year. These value figures do not take inflation into account.

Figure 3.1.2.3.
Forty-seven percent (1.36 million mt) of production in the sub-region in 1995 came from aquatic plants (Figure 3.1.2.3). Of the remaining tonnage, production was dominated by molluscs (58%) and marine fishes (19%). Diadromous fishes, freshwater fishes and crustaceans accounted for 12%, 8% and 3%, respectively.

Figure 3.1.2.4.

Major animal species cultured in terms of value were Japanese amberjack (Seriola quinqueradiata), silver seabream (Pagrus major), Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas), eels (Anquilla japonica and A. spp.), and Yesso scallop (Pecten yessoensis), which made up 15%, 10%, 8%, 13% and 5% of the value, respectively.

The principle animal species in terms of production and their APRs over the period were the Pacific cupped oyster (-0.9), Yesso scallop (10.8), Japanese amberjack (1.0), Korean mussel (Mytilus crassitesta) (10.1), silver seabream (9.6), and milkfish (Chanos chanos) (6.8), for which 1995 rounded production figures were 444,000 mt, 228,000 mt, 170,000 mt, 75,000 mt, 72,000 mt, and 63,000 mt, respectively. Other high-value species, such as bastard halibut (Paralichthys olivaceous), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), barramundi (Lates calcarifer) and giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), had high APRs of 28.8, 9.4, 52.5, and 18.4, respectively. Tilapias and eels (river and Japanese eels) had negative growth from 1984 to 1995, with APRs of about -1.5 and -2.4, respectively.

Production increased most for brackishwater aquaculture systems, with an APR of 5.5 from 1984 to 1995, whereas marine and freshwater aquaculture increased modestly at APRs of 0.2 and 0.3, respectively. The annual value of coastal aquaculture (including marine and coastal brackishwater systems) increased from US$2.57 billion in 1984 to US$6.19 billion in 1995 (APR of 8.3); that of inland aquaculture products increased from US$916 million to US$2.01 billion at an APR of 7.4.

Marine algae were the top valued species in 1995, with red and brown seaweeds accounting for 17% and 5% of the total value, respectively. The contributions of other species groups were: jacks, mullets, etc. 16%; river eels 13%; redfish, basses and congers 12%; oysters 8%; salmonids 5%; and scallops 5%.

The sub-region is composed mostly of developed areas except DPR Korea. DPR Korea is facing a severe food shortage with the potential for mass starvation. Immediate food aid to this country will probably have a higher priority at present than fishery or aquaculture development. In the developed countries, marine and diadromous fish play a major role in the aquaculture sector.

However, there is competition for resources, and development is constrained in some areas, e.g. Japan and China, SAR of Hong Kong, by lack of available land. Due to the recent ratification of the UN Law of the Sea, Japan has lost access to many foreign fishing grounds that are now under local jurisdiction. Therefore, Japan has embarked on a large-scale fishery enhancement programme that includes coastal aquaculture, artificial reefs and marine ranching (Fujiya, 1996; Matsuoka, 1996). Such large-scale enhancements, supported by cooperatives between government and industry, are being assessed for application in the region, e.g. in the Republic of Korea. Aquaculture in the region involves many high-value marine species that have high protein requirements. Thus, aquaculture is often an activity that is a net consumer of fish products in the form of diets high in fish protein (fishmeal). Efforts are underway to find replacements for fishmeal in aquafeeds, as well as to find alternate species that have good market appeal, but do not require excessive levels of fish protein in their diets (Watanabe and Kiron, 1997; see also section 2.1, Aquafeeds and Feeding Strategies).

Fish and fishery products are extremely important and contribute a large proportion of the diet of the people in the sub-region. This will undoubtedly continue in many areas as governments such as of Japan are actively promoting and subsidizing aquaculture development, including an expansion of marine enhancement programmes. Japan is currently conducting research on breeding and culture of over 70 marine species, some of which will be suitable candidates for aquaculture and stocking. Culture of Japanese amberjack and Japanese eel is currently based on wild-caught broodstock and fry. There is also an expanding live food-fish market, especially in China, SAR of Hong Kong and Taiwan (PC), that imports wild-caught reef fishes, e.g. groupers and wrasses, from areas near the Philippines and Indonesia. The collection of these live fish is often very destructive, involving sodium cyanide that kills non-targeted fish, invertebrates and the coral itself. Research on breeding and aquaculture of these coral reef fish is ongoing in Taiwan (PC) and may alleviate some of the pressure on wild stocks. The outlook for the DPR Korea is less clear and will depend on the alleviation of the present food crisis.

Fujiya, M. 1996. Marine ranching: present situation and perspectives. Paper presented at the International Symposium on Marine Ranching, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, 13 - 16 September, 1996.Tokyo, Government of Japan, and Rome, FAO.

Matsuoka, T. 1996. Present state and prospects of Japan’s sea farming. Paper presented at the International Symposium on Marine Ranching, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, 13 - 16 September, 1996. Tokyo, Government of Japan, and Rome, FAO.

Watanabe, T. and V. Kiron. 1997. Feed protein ingredients for aquaculture in Japan. 6p. In Feed Ingredients Asia ‘97, Singapore. Uxbridge, Turret-RAI.