State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2004 - Library

World review of fisheries and aquaculture
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US$3.9 billion, was the world’s third largest importer of fish and fish products, followed
by France (US$3.2 billion), Italy (US$2.9 billion), Germany (US$2.4 billion) and the
United Kingdom (US$2.3 billion). Preliminary data suggest that in 2003 major importing
markets increased their imports of fish and fish products by about 10 percent.
In 2002, a large share of fish production entered international marketing channels,
with about 38 percent (live weight equivalent) exported as various food and feed
products (Figure 28). Developed countries exported more than 22 million tonnes of fish
(in live weight equivalent) in 2002; although a part of this trade may be re-exports, this
amount corresponds to nearly 70 percent of their production. Exports from developing
countries (28 million tonnes) were around one-quarter of their combined production.
The share of developing countries in total fishery exports was 49 percent by value and
55 percent by quantity. A significant share of these exports consisted of fishmeal. In
2002, developing countries contributed about 66 percent, by quantity, of world nonfood
fishery exports. Developing countries have also significantly increased their share
in the quantity of fish exports destined for human consumption, from 43 percent in
1992 to 49 percent in 2002.
In many countries there is considerable two-way trade in fish products. The trade
surplus is significant in Africa, China, Oceania and Latin America and the Caribbean
(Figure 29). In 2002, 95 countries were net exporters of fish and fishery products, with
Canada, Chile, Norway, Thailand and Viet Nam reporting net export values of more
than US$1.5 billion each and with Denmark, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Peru and Taiwan
Province of China each having net exports worth more than US$1 billion. Although
there is a strong trade in fish and fish products among the more developed economies
(mostly demersal species, herring, mackerel and salmon), trade tends to flow from the
less-developed to the more-developed countries (mainly tuna, small pelagics, shrimps
and prawns, rock lobsters and cephalopods). In 2002, about 74 percent of the import
value was concentrated in three main areas: the EU, Japan and the United States.
In terms of quantity, developed countries imported over 32 million tonnes (live weight
equivalent), of which 68 percent was fish for human consumption, while developing
countries imported 19 million tonnes (live weight equivalent), of which 47 percent
consisted of fish for food.
The maps shown in Figure 30 indicate trade flows of fish and fish products by
continent for the period 2000–02. The overall picture presented by these maps,
however, is not complete. Although the countries that reported their imports over
this period (some 158 countries) account for 98 percent of the estimated world total,
some continental groups are not covered completely (e.g. about one-third of African