Catalog

	Table of Contents
p. 5 of 20 BACK | NEXT I. Introduction II. The Context: Fisheries in the Asian and Pacific Region A. The Role of Fisheries B. A Profile of the Fisheries Sector in the Region C. Fisheries Production and Trade D. Major Developments Affecting the Fisheries Sector E. ADB’s Policy on Fisheries III. The Bank's Experience in the Fisheries Sector IV. The Issues: Challenges and Opportunities V. The Recommended Strategy for the Bank

Policy on Fisheries : II. The Context: Fisheries in the Asian and Pacific Region

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C. Fisheries Production and Trade

Fish Production

World fisheries production has grown rapidly over the last four decades in response to increasing demand, and as a result of advances in fishing technology, growth in aquaculture, and expansion in areas and species fished. Production from fisheries grew from 20 million t in 1950 to 100.5 million t in 1989, declined in 1990 and 1991, and increased again to 99.3 million t in 1992 and 102.2 million t in 1993. Just as global fishery production appeared to have leveled off, 109 million t was reached in 1994. Annual production did not show a steadily increasing trend; the annual rate of increase declined from over 6 percent during 1950-1970 to an average of 2.3 percent thereafter. World aquaculture production, unlike that from capture fisheries, has been growing continuously over the years: aquaculture production expanded at an average annual compounded rate of 10 percent during 1984_1995. Total production in 1995 was 21.3 million t.

Capture fisheries production in the Region followed the global trend except for the declines in the early 1990s; the Region managed to achieve modest increases during this period. DMCs accounted for a majority share of landings for the Region. Marine fisheries production in DMCs increased from 1984 to 1994, while in developed regional member countries it decreased. In 1994, marine fisheries production of Asia was 39.6 million t or 44 percent of the world total. The Pacific countries added about a million tons more. Aquaculture production increased by an average of 11 percent per year during 1984_1994 in the DMCs and 2.4 percent per year in developed member countries.

The Bank's regional member countries, both developed and developing, produce and consume a majority share of world fish. Capture fisheries production in these countries accounted for 50 percent, and aquaculture production for 84.3 percent, of world totals in 1994. The DMCs, on the other hand, shared 30.7 percent of capture fisheries production in 1994 and 80 percent of aquaculture production in 1994. Four DMCs — PRC, India, Indonesia, and Thailand — were among the top ten fishing nations in the world.

Fish Trade

Fish is one of the most highly traded food products in the world market. The volume of international fish trade doubled between 1984 and 1994. In percentage of world production, trade volume rose from about 33 percent to about 41 percent during the same period. By comparison, only 4 percent of rice and 22 percent of wheat are traded. The total value of fish trade in 1994 was around $51 billion measured in terms of imports. In 1993, the value of exports of fish and fishery products by developing countries, which accounted for 48 percent of world trade, exceeded imports by $13.2 billion. Export earnings of these countries from fisheries were much higher than earnings from coffee, banana, rubber, tea, meat, rice, or other export commodities.

Developed countries account for 85 percent of world fish imports. In 1994, Japan's imports amounted to about $16.14 billion, alone accounting for 31 percent of world fish imports in value terms. The US was the second major market for fishery products. The value of trade of fish and fishery products by main importer/exporter country is shown in Appendix 3.

In terms of volume, the Bank's regional member countries accounted for 27.3 percent of world fish exports and 41.4 percent of world fish imports in 1994. The DMCs have been net exporters while developed member countries have been net importers. In 1993, Thailand became the largest fish exporter in the world, overtaking the US. Other major exporting DMCs are PRC; Taipei,China; Indonesia; Republic of Korea; India; and Philippines.

International trade has greatly influenced fisheries and aquaculture development in DMCs. In some of the rapidly developing countries, the fisheries sector has become increasingly commercialized as a valuable export industry, particularly through fresh or processed fish products such as fresh or canned tuna and frozen prawns and shrimps. To cater to expanding export markets, primarily Japan and the US, production technologies in the commercial subsector in both capture fisheries and aquaculture were adjusted, and postharvest facilities such as canneries and freezing plants were constructed in these countries. The opening of foreign markets for high-value fish products, particularly shrimp, caused the rapid expansion of shrimp culture in DMCs. With most DMCs already net fish exporters, these countries could further improve their market position and thus improve their foreign exchange earnings, provided production levels can be maintained. It is to be noted, however, that a bigger portion of fish production supplies domestic markets, where fish is sold primarily fresh, chilled, or salted.

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