Blue ports: key drivers for fish trade and market
©FAO/Kurt Arrigo
In 2023, aquatic products have been traded across 255 countries and territories generating, USD 182 billion in value, with many activities concentrated around ports, such catch landing and unloading operations, which are key points in global fish supply chains.
In a global trade context where sustainability, traceability and fair-trade standards are becoming increasingly stringent, fishing ports are emerging as strategic hubs for strengthening aquatic value chains. The fisheries sector currently faces a growing number of complex challenges – climate change impacts on aquatic resources, rising regulatory requirements in international markets, and the need to adopt more sustainable and equitable practices.
Blue Ports represent a concrete response to these challenges and opportunities in fisheries trade within an increasingly complex environment. These are fishing ports that go beyond their traditional functions to evolve into sustainable development platforms for aquatic value chains. This includes improving port infrastructure, enhancing governance and management frameworks, ensuring social equity and justice, and safeguarding surrounding ecosystems.
Fishing ports are critical nodes where logistical operations, sanitary controls and value addition processes converge. They also serve as platforms where public and private actors interact, directly influencing the quality, efficiency and sustainability of fish trade.
A blue port enables the efficient and traceable movement of aquatic products to market, while promoting fair conditions for all actors in the sector, including small-scale fishers. This requires appropriate post-harvest handling systems, cold chain and storage infrastructure, basic processing capacity, efficient sanitary controls, as well as transparency, traceability, and regulatory compliance mechanisms.
But the Blue Port Initiative approach goes beyond logistics. It recognizes the port as a multisectoral interface, where policies on fisheries, trade, public health, transport and local development converge. This integrated approach adds value at the territorial level, reduces losses and waste, improves access to differentiated markets, and ensures that fish trade is conducted under principles of sustainability and equity.
How does a blue port promote sustainable fish trade?
At the 36th Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI), FAO emphasized that fishing ports can become strategic hubs for local and regional growth. These ports serve as meeting points for various fishing industry activities and, when managed well, can create valuable economic and social benefits. (Report on 36th Session of COFI, 2024).
In response to this COFI recommendation, FAO leads the Blue Ports Initiative, which promotes the adoption of sustainable actions and strategies that protect the environment, enhance commercial competitiveness and benefit local communities.
Blue Ports help make fish trade more responsible and efficient in different key ways:
Better tracking and legal compliance. FAO underscores that ports need stronger control and tracking measures to ensure fish entering the market is legally caught. Recent FAO initiatives have provided training to port authorities on tracking processes, helping reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU). Better tracking systems help verify that fish is legal, safe, and high-quality. This builds buyer confidence and helps fish products access international markets more easily.
Lima, Peru - FAO technical officers and members of the Peruvian Production Ministry carry out inspections aboard of fishing ships in the port of Callao-Pesquera Diamante S.A.
Reducing food loss. Modern port infrastructure, like refrigeration systems, clean handling facilities, and efficient logistics, prevents fish from spoiling after it's caught and reduces post-harvest fish losses. FAO recommends that countries strengthen port facilities to ensure aquatic products reach consumers in good condition. A blue port can improve fish quality and reduce loss, which means higher income for fishers.
Mindelo, Cape Verde - Fish preserved on ice await processing at the facilities of the company Frescomar in Mindelo.
Protection and restoration of biodiversity through nature-based solutions. The integration of nature-based solutions into the design and use of infrastructure, as well as in the preservation of marine soils and biodiversity, contributes to the development and generation of products with positive environmental impacts, thereby supporting the sustainability standards and requirements of markets.
Malta - A pod of dolphins seen from above sea level.
Adding value to fish products. The Blue Ports model transforms fishing ports into business hubs that encourage activities like processing, packaging, and direct marketing. FAO emphasizes that fishing ports strengthen value chains by enabling fishers and small enterprises to participate in higher value-added activities. This can translate into higher prices for producers and more quality products available in local and regional markets.
General Santos City, Philippines - Workers sort frozen fish before being stored in a cold-chain facility in General Santos Fish Port Complex.
Social inclusion and fair labor. The social aspect is central to the Blue Port model. Blue ports promote inclusion, equality, and fair labor practices within the sector. They help reduce poverty and improve food security by protecting natural resources, strengthening business chains, ensuring workers' rights, and promoting equality in port environments (FAO. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022). Well-planned fishing ports create good jobs, improve coastal communities' well-being, and ensure fish trade benefits are shared fairly.
Male, Maldives - Fishermen on their vessels at the end of the working day.
Interregional and international cooperation. Trade operations connect ports across territories and oceans. A Blue Port will achieve its sustainability objectives if the ports it is connected with also pursue the same goals, since the fish trade value chain transcends borders.. In this regard, Blue Ports are committed to engaging in cooperation networks that enable the transfer of good practices through training, technical assistance and advisory services, as well as the generation and dissemination of knowledge.
Fangchenggang Fishing Port Economic Zone, China - Fangchenggang hosted a regional workshop on blue ports, sharing best practices in sustainable fishing port planning and operations.
These FAO-supported measures demonstrate how a Blue Port can catalyze more sustainable and efficient fish trade. By integrating traceability practices, improving port infrastructure, adding value to products, and promoting social equity, Blue Ports serve as platforms for more sustainable fisheries, thereby contributing to more transparent and resilient markets
