Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 3 • Number 18 • 16th October 2003
FISHERIES: CAN WE MEET GLOBAL DEMAND?
FISHERIES: CAN WE MEET GLOBAL DEMAND?
A new report "The Future of Fish - Issues and Trends to 2020" by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the World Fish Centre, released on 2 October, highlights the fact that while the majority of world wild fisheries resources are being exploited to their maximum or beyond the level of sustainability, the worldwide demand for fish is increasing, raising the question of whether in the future the global demand for fish products can be met. The report states that in particular developing countries experiencing high economic growth and increasing living standards, such as China, have a greater demand for fish and fish products. The report expects fish consumption in developing countries to increase by 57 percent, to a total of 98 million metric tons, whereas in developed countries it is expected to only increase four percent, to a total of 29 million metric tons. Developing countries are also expected to become the major producers of fisheries products by 2020. However production from wild fisheries resources will grow only slowly as wild fisheries resources are exploited to a maximum already. Instead, the report foresees that the major part of fisheries production will stem from aquaculture in developing countries.
However, the report also points out that aquaculture is likely to place greater pressure on wild fish stocks and the marine environment through an increased use of fertiliser, biological waste and organic matter in general. On the other hand the report underlines the great potential of aquaculture and improved fishing technologies and finally points out that both developed and developing countries should pay more attention to developing sustainable fisheries policies. This, the report stresses, should include rationalising food safety systems for seafood imports, harmonisation of tariff classifications as well as technical assistance in eco-labelling practices for small-scale fish exporters from developed countries to developing countries.
"Global Appetite for Seafood will not be easy to satisfy," ENS, 2 October 2003; "Poor Countries to dominate Fish Industry in 2020," IFPRI, 2 October 2003.