24 April 2020
COVID-19 : Global Seafood Market Trends
A webinar entitled “COVID-19: GLOBAL SEAFOOD MARKET TRENDS” was organised by INFOFISH on 23rd April to address the unprecedented challenges currently faced by every segment in the global fisheries and aquaculture industry, from production through processing, transportation, marketing, and consumption, as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic. A total of 75 participants from 22 countries attended the webinar, posing many interesting questions and contributing their views on the effect of the pandemic with regard to their own regions.
The Guest Panellist was Mr Marcio Castro de Souza, Senior Fishery Officer (International Trade) from FAO, whose presentation was on a preliminary assessment carried out by FAO on the impact of Covid-19 on fisheries and aquaculture. He said that some effects are already evident in Processing (reduction of inputs, movement of people, human biosecurity, distribution issues); Marketing (HORECA demand, long-life shelf products, timely transportation, border restrictions); and Fisheries Governance (science and management of stocks, IUU fishing). Mr de Souza invited participants to read the FAO Policy Brief on Fisheries which is accessible on the organisation’s website (www.fao.org), and which is also presented in the INFOFISH Situation Report on pages 33-37 of the INFOFISH International, issue 3/2020. In addition, he referred participants to the FAO GLOBEFISH website (www.globefish.org) for information on world fish trade.
The other panellists were from INFOFISH: Ms Joelyn Sentina, Trade Promotion Officer, who briefed listeners on the Global Fishery Market Trends; Mr Api Cokanasiga, Trade Promotion Officer, on the effects of COVID-19 on the markets in Asia; and Mr Sujit Das, Technical Officer, on ensuring safety in the seafood sector. The webinar was moderated by Shirlene Anthonysamy, INFOFISH Director.
The video and all the presentations are accessible via infofish.org/Webinar/ Please check INFOFISH website (www.infofish.org) regularly for announcements on forthcoming webinars and podcasts.