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Global literature highlights risks in the seafood trade and suggests mitigation methods, but these issues are often overlooked in developing countries, particularly in Pakistan, due to ineffective policy implementation. This underlines the urgent need for a thorough investigation into Pakistan's seafood trade to address its multifaceted risks and revive this agricultural sector. This study is notable for being the first to explore these uncharted risks in Pakistan's seafood trade, which can help achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, particularly SDG 14 (life underwater) and SDG 2 (zero hunger). Primary data were gathered from 626 respondents using snowball sampling and structured questionnaires from July 13, 2023, to December 27, 2023. The study used multi-criteria decision analysis, including fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Importance Performance Analysis (IPA), and multivariate analysis, comprising Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS), to analyze the data. The findings revealed that 'environmental risks' were the most significant, followed by 'infrastructure and logistic risks'. The biggest subrisk identified for managerial focus includes overfishing. Controlling overfishing is critical for ensuring marine conservation and reviving the seafood trade. Several sub-risks, like seafood prices, marketing strategies, consumer preferences, and tastes, are critical but never addressed in the regulations. Furthermore, risk perception mediates the relationship between risk management and risk performance. The survey respondents reported low-risk perception and inadequate management measures. Besides, this study expounds on ramifications, shortcomings, and areas for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of seafood trade networks alongside the decline in biomass of many marine populations raises important questions about the role of global trade in fisheries sustainability. Mounting empirical and theoretical evidence shows the importance of trade development on commercially exploited species. However, there is limited understanding of how the development of trade networks, such as differences in connectivity and duration, affects fisheries sustainability. In a global analysis of over 400,000 bilateral trade flows and stock status estimates for 876 exploited fish and marine invertebrates from 223 territories, we reveal patterns between seafood trade network indicators and fisheries sustainability using a dynamic panel regression analysis. We found that fragmented networks with strong connectivity within a group of countries and weaker links between those groups (modularity) are associated with higher relative biomass. From 1995 to 2015, modularity fluctuated, and the number of trade connections (degree) increased. Unlike previous studies, we found no relationship between the number or duration of trade connections and fisheries sustainability. Our results highlight the need to jointly investigate fisheries and trade. Improved coordination and partnerships between fisheries authorities and trade organizations present opportunities to foster more sustainable fisheries.

Background The mislabeling of seafood, wherein a food product’s marketed name does not match its contents, has the potential to mask species of conservation concern. Less discussed is the role of legally ambiguous market names, wherein a single name could be used to sell multiple species. Here we report the first study in Canada to examine mislabeling and ambiguous market names in both invertebrate (e.g., bivalve, cephalopod, shrimp) and finfish products. Methods A total of 109 invertebrate and 347 finfish products were sampled in Calgary between 2014 and 2020. Market names were documented from the label or equivalent and determined to be precise (the name could apply to only one species) or ambiguous (multiple species could be sold under that name). A region of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene was sequenced and compared to reference sequences from boldsystems.org. Samples were considered mislabeled if the species identified through DNA barcoding did not correspond to the market name, as determined through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fish List. Mislabeling was further differentiated between semantic mislabeling, wherein the market name was not found on the Fish List but the barcode identity was in line with what a consumer could reasonably have expected to have purchased; invalid market names, wherein the market name was so unusual that no legitimate inferences as to the product’s identity could be made; and product substitution, wherein the DNA barcode identified the product as a species distinct from that associated with the market name. Invalid market names and product substitutions were used to provide conservative estimates of mislabeling. The global conservation status of the DNA-identified invertebrate or finfish was determined through the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List. A logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between precision and accuracy in predicting conservation status of the sampled species. Results There was no significant difference in mislabeling occurrence between invertebrates (33.9% total mislabeling occurrence, 20.2% product substitution) and finfish (32.3% total mislabeling occurrence, 21.3% product substitution/invalid market names). Product substitutions sometimes involved species of conservation concern, such as foods marketed as freshwater eel (Anguilla rostrata) that were determined through DNA barcoding to be European eel (Anguilla anguilla), or cuttlefish balls putatively identified as the Endangered threadfin porgy (Evynnis cardinalis). Product substitutions and ambiguous market names were significantly associated with the sale of species of conservation concern, but ambiguity was a more important predictor. Although preventing the mislabeling of seafoods can and must remain a priority in Canada, our work suggests that moving towards precise names for all seafood products will better support sustainable fisheries goals.

Global literature highlights risks in the seafood trade and suggests mitigation methods, but these issues are often overlooked in developing countries, particularly in Pakistan, due to ineffective policy implementation. This underlines the urgent need for a thorough investigation into Pakistan’s seafood trade to address its multifaceted risks and revive this agricultural sector. This study is notable for being the first to explore these uncharted risks in Pakistan’s seafood trade, which can help achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, particularly SDG 14 (life underwater) and SDG 2 (zero hunger). Primary data were gathered from 626 respondents using snowball sampling and structured questionnaires from July 13, 2023, to December 27, 2023. The study used multi-criteria decision analysis, including fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Importance Performance Analysis (IPA), and multivariate analysis, comprising Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS), to analyze the data. The findings revealed that ‘environmental risks’ were the most significant, followed by ‘infrastructure and logistic risks’. The biggest sub-risk identified for managerial focus includes overfishing. Controlling overfishing is critical for ensuring marine conservation and reviving the seafood trade. Several sub-risks, like seafood prices, marketing strategies, consumer preferences, and tastes, are critical but never addressed in the regulations. Furthermore, risk perception mediates the relationship between risk management and risk performance. The survey respondents reported low-risk perception and inadequate management measures. Besides, this study expounds on ramifications, shortcomings, and areas for further research.

Since 2014, economic sanctions between Russia and Western nations have significantly altered the global seafood trade. The consequent decline in bilateral trade also had spillover effects on the rest of the world (ROW). According to earlier studies, economic sanctions appear to negatively impact bilateral trade and income. However, few studies examine how Russian sanctions affect the world as a whole and estimate their effects on the fisheries industry. This study seeks to close this gap by quantifying the extent to which Russian sanctions have impacted trade in terms of trade deflection, trade destruction, trade depression, and trade creation. To this end, panel data from 185 countries were created for the years from 2005 to 2020. With trade policy variables that account for changes in trade channels, a structural gravity trade model was specified. Based on calculations using the Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood (PPML) fixed effect model, economic sanctions led to a 119.28% surge in Russia's seafood imports from the rest of the world (ROW), alongside a 39% decline in imports from Western countries. The extent of trade deflection, which includes the exports of Western nations diverted from Russia to the ROW markets, increased by 5.49%. The results demonstrate that trade between sanctioned states, as well as global trade, is significantly impacted by economic sanctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed at assessing the validity and accuracy of the new official Bulgarian list of seafood trade names in compliance with EU requirements, and the list evolution and adherence to the Bulgarian market trends. The new list consists of 88 commercial designations (CD) associated with 81 scientific names (SN) provided as 72 species, 8 genera and 1 family mostly belonging to the fish category (86.4%, SN = 70). The list analysis highlighted the presence of 14 invalid SN (17.3%), with an obsolete classification. In terms of adherence to the Bulgarian market's trend the inclusion of 51 new SN reflecting fishing data in total, both from inland waters and along the Black Sea coast was pointed out. However, 44 SN relating to commercially relevant species and currently available at purchase were deleted. In terms of accuracy, the introduction of SN as family, the significant reduction of CDs and the use of vague CDs lead the list to distance itself from the one name-one fish conception, proposed at international level, as ideal approach for unambiguous product identification by the consumer. To conclude, the analysis shows a clear will of the national Bulgarian Legislator to enhance local fisheries and aquaculture trade. Nevertheless, major issues related to the SN validity and the non-adherence to seafood market trends are highlighting the ineffectiveness of the current list in describing retail seafood products. This emphasizes the urgency to provide a further substantial list revision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2014, economic sanctions between Russia and Western nations have significantly altered the global seafood trade. The consequent decline in bilateral trade also had spillover effects on the rest of the world (ROW). According to earlier studies, economic sanctions appear to negatively impact bilateral trade and income. However, few studies examine how Russian sanctions affect the world as a whole and estimate their effects on the fisheries industry. This study seeks to close this gap by quantifying the extent to which Russian sanctions have impacted trade in terms of trade deflection, trade destruction, trade depression, and trade creation. To this end, panel data from 185 countries were created for the years from 2005 to 2020. With trade policy variables that account for changes in trade channels, a structural gravity trade model was specified. Based on calculations using the Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood (PPML) fixed effect model, economic sanctions led to a 119.28% surge in Russia’s seafood imports from the rest of the world (ROW), alongside a 39% decline in imports from Western countries. The extent of trade deflection, which includes the exports of Western nations diverted from Russia to the ROW markets, increased by 5.49%. The results demonstrate that trade between sanctioned states, as well as global trade, is significantly impacted by economic sanctions.

Background: The mislabeling of seafood, wherein a food product's marketed name does not match its contents, has the potential to mask species of conservation concern. Less discussed is the role of legally ambiguous market names, wherein a single name could be used to sell multiple species. Here we report the first study in Canada to examine mislabeling and ambiguous market names in both invertebrate ( e.g ., bivalve, cephalopod, shrimp) and finfish products., Methods: A total of 109 invertebrate and 347 finfish products were sampled in Calgary between 2014 and 2020. Market names were documented from the label or equivalent and determined to be precise (the name could apply to only one species) or ambiguous (multiple species could be sold under that name). A region of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene was sequenced and compared to reference sequences from boldsystems.org. Samples were considered mislabeled if the species identified through DNA barcoding did not correspond to the market name, as determined through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fish List. Mislabeling was further differentiated between semantic mislabeling, wherein the market name was not found on the Fish List but the barcode identity was in line with what a consumer could reasonably have expected to have purchased; invalid market names, wherein the market name was so unusual that no legitimate inferences as to the product's identity could be made; and product substitution, wherein the DNA barcode identified the product as a species distinct from that associated with the market name. Invalid market names and product substitutions were used to provide conservative estimates of mislabeling. The global conservation status of the DNA-identified invertebrate or finfish was determined through the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List. A logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between precision and accuracy in predicting conservation status of the sampled species., Results: There was no significant difference in mislabeling occurrence between invertebrates (33.9% total mislabeling occurrence, 20.2% product substitution) and finfish (32.3% total mislabeling occurrence, 21.3% product substitution/invalid market names). Product substitutions sometimes involved species of conservation concern, such as foods marketed as freshwater eel ( Anguilla rostrata ) that were determined through DNA barcoding to be European eel ( Anguilla anguilla ), or cuttlefish balls putatively identified as the Endangered threadfin porgy ( Evynnis cardinalis ). Product substitutions and ambiguous market names were significantly associated with the sale of species of conservation concern, but ambiguity was a more important predictor. Although preventing the mislabeling of seafoods can and must remain a priority in Canada, our work suggests that moving towards precise names for all seafood products will better support sustainable fisheries goals., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 Morris et al.)

Seafood is a highly traded food group. Moreover, the trade is controversial, and particularly in relation to developing countries. To proponents, trade provides a source of food, nutrition and economic development, while for opponents, it is an example of how the rich take food out of the mouths of the poor. Review articles provide no clear conclusions with respect to the merit of the seafood trade, suggesting that the picture is nuanced and that case studies are important. In this study we will investigate seafood availability in Nigeria for the period 2000 to 2020 with a focus on the origin of the seafood by estimating apparent consumption. Our results indicate that Nigeria is a country where seafood imports are highly important for seafood availability. Imports provide 42% of the seafood consumed in 2020, while exports are negligible. In common with imports, domestic fisheries landings and aquaculture production have increased since the turn of the century. The Netherlands is the most important source country for Nigerian seafood imports, and most imports originate in Europe. Imports from neighboring countries in Africa are highly limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood is the world’s most traded food commodity, and the international trade in seafood is promoted as a development strategy in low-income coastal communities across the globe. However, the seafood trade can drive negative social and environmental impacts in fishing communities, and whether the benefits of trade actually reach fishers is a subject of ongoing scholarship. Furthermore, scholars and policymakers have tended to treat fishing communities as homogeneous, assuming that trade policies will impact all members equally. Yet individual community members have different roles, statuses, and entitlements according to their intersecting identities, meaning that different fishers will be differently impacted by the seafood trade. In particular, women occupy different positions than men in seafood value chains and in fishing communities. There are also important within-group differences among men and among women depending on their nationality, marital status, and other identity markers. Through 205 surveys, 54 interviews, and ethnographic field methods conducted in fifteen rural Palauan fishing communities between November 2019 and March 2020, this case study of the sea cucumber trade in Palau brings together theories of gender, intersectionality, and access to answer the question, “How are the harms and benefits of the seafood trade distributed in fishing communities?” In this case, men benefited more than women from the export of sea cucumbers by leveraging access to technology; knowledge; and authority, and the trade depleted resources relied on primarily by women for their food security and livelihoods. An intersectional analysis revealed that marital status and nationality determined access among women, with married women having greater access than unmarried women and immigrant women having greater access than immigrant men, demonstrating the importance of intersectionality as an analytical tool.

Fishery collapse has been defined as a fishery with annual landings less than 10% of the historic maximum observed catch. However, this 10% rule is not grounded in bioeconomic theory despite being widely used in empirical economic studies of fisheries. We assess the 10% rule by simulating fisheries under pure open access, open access with cost changes, open access with critical depensation, optimal management (both deterministic and stochastic cases), and rebuilding plans. We show that the 10% rule generates false negatives and false positives, and that the prevalence of these problems varies under different institutional configurations, economic incentives, and biological conditions. We urge researchers to abandon this outcome measure for comparative empirical tests and encourage more research on collapse that attends to human agency and institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, seafood mislabeling has been increasingly documented, raising public concern over the identity, safety, and sustainability of seafood. Negative outcomes from seafood mislabeling are suspected to be substantial and pervasive as seafood is the world's most highly traded food commodity. Here we provide empirical systems-level evidence that enabling conditions exist for seafood mislabeling in the United States (US) to lead to negative impacts on marine populations and support consumption of products from poorly managed fisheries. Using trade, production, and mislabeling data, we determine that substituted products are more likely to be imported than the product listed on the label. We also estimate that about 60% of US mislabeled apparent consumption associated with the established pairs involves products that are exclusively wild caught. We use these wild-caught pairs to explore population and management consequences of mislabeling. We find that, compared to the product on the label, substituted products come from fisheries with less healthy stocks and greater impacts of fishing on other species. Additionally, substituted products are from fisheries with less effective management and with management policies less likely to mitigate impacts of fishing on habitats and ecosystems compared with the label product. While we provide systematic evidence of environmental impacts from food fraud, our results also highlight the current challenges with production, trade, and mislabeling data, which increase the uncertainty surrounding seafood mislabeling consequences. More integrated, holistic, and collaborative approaches are needed to understand mislabeling impacts and design interventions to minimize mislabeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concern over illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing has led to a number of policy, trade and surveillance measures. While much attention has been given to the impact of IUU regulation on industrial fleets, recognition of the distinct impacts on small‐scale fisheries is conspicuously lacking from the policy and research debate. In this paper, we outline three ways in which the application of IUU discourse and regulation undermines small‐scale fisheries. First, the mainstream construction of "illegal," "unreported" and "unregulated" fishing, and also the categorical use of "IUU" in an all‐inclusive sense, disregards the diversity, legitimacy and sustainability of small‐scale fisheries practices and their governing systems. Second, we explore how the recent trade‐related measures to counter IUU fishing mask and reinforce existing inequalities between different sectors and countries, creating an unfair burden on small‐scale fisheries and countries who depend on them. Third, as IUU fishing is increasingly approached as "organized crime," there is a risk of inappropriately targeting small‐scale fisheries, at times violently. Reflecting on these three trends, we propose three strategies by which a more sensitive and ultimately more equitable incorporation of small‐scale fisheries can be supported in the global fight against IUU fishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is the world's largest seafood exporter, and changes in its seafood trade patterns have global impacts. In this article, China's trade patterns are investigated using a gravity-type model. To examine whether trade patterns vary by product form and species group, 13 different models are estimated. The results indicate substantial variation in trade patterns across product categories. In particular, seafood in the live and fresh product forms are a separate group for which trade is significantly more influenced by distance and income level, while the size of the economy and region significantly affects the trade of products in other forms. Particularly notable is the lower unit value of the products shipped to Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past twenty years, seafood sustainability certifications have been heralded as a complement to traditional government-based fisheries management. However, certifying organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) have often struggled to reach fisheries in the Global South, which are less likely to already have strong top-down management practices. To further understand how MSC's recruitment may be inhibited in different regions and nations, we developed a random forest machine-learning model which identified MSC-enrolled and unenrolled fisheries with 79% accuracy based on 36 socioeconomic characteristics. Fisheries from countries with high Human Development Indices (HDI) and those targeting high biomass regions were much more likely to enroll, reflecting a lack of socioeconomic and geographic diversity among program fisheries. Almost a third of all issued MSC certifications have also been voluntarily withdrawn, and using a similar predictive model, we found withdrawals were most likely in fisheries in overharvested regions, regardless of HDI, and those that targeted forage fish species. Results suggest MSC has struggled to recruit fisheries outside of particular regions, such as Alaska and the far North Atlantic, and to retain fisheries in need of harvest controls or other significant changes in management practices. Considering the organization's Theory of Change and existing case studies, we outline a potential program-wide mismatch between where MSC certifications are most likely to occur, and where they are most likely to successfully generate improvements. • Fisheries in the Global North were almost twice as likely to enroll in MSC. • Global North fisheries often exhibited traits, such as healthy regional biomass, that made enrollment even more likely. • MSC-enrolled fisheries in the Global South often targeted tunas or high-priced seafood products that are export-oriented. • MSC certifications may not be economically viable in contexts where overfishing is occurring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliance on international seafood markets leaves small-scale fishers and fishing economies vulnerable to distant disturbances that can negatively affect market prices and trigger social, economic, and environmental crises at local levels. This paper examines the role of seafood trade routes and re-exports in masking such market linkages. We employ a network approach to map the global trade routes of lobster (Homarus spp.) from small-scale producers in North America to terminal markets and evaluate the extent to which intermediary nations act to obscure producer-market relationships. In taking this approach, we provide a method for systematically measuring “teleconnectivity” created through seafood trade routes, and thus making explicit vulnerabilities to small-scale fisheries from this teleconnectivity. Our empirical analysis shows that the perceived trade diversification of lobster producers is masking increased dependencies on a reduced number of end-markets, particularly in Asia. These results suggest, paradoxically, that the apparent diversification of trade partnerships may actually amplify, rather than reduce, the vulnerabilities of small-scale fishers associated with international trade by making risk harder to identify and anticipate. We discuss our results in the context of local fisheries and global seafood trade and describe key impediments to being able to monitor market dependencies and exposure to potential vulnerabilities.

Emerging forms of governance and many academic analyses of seafood commodity chains currently have a strong focus on financial value, transmitted in a linear ‘vertical’ fashion from fisher, through traders to eventual consumers. This Brief Communication argues that the social dimensions of value must be given explicit attention in analysis if seafood commodity chains are to be made more equitable and sustainable in changing governance contexts. The paper draws on evidence from selected seafood commodity chains across the Philippines, demonstrating the range of co-produced social values that are of equal or greater significance than financial value. Fishers, traders and consumers, all generate multiple social values that shape the nature and outcomes of seafood commodity chains. In contrast to forms of fisheries governance that focus exclusively on financial or ecological values, the paper suggests that integrating multiple social values into the governance of seafood commodity chains, as well as at the site of production, should become a core focus of research and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing trade networks through globalization have expanded governance of local environments to encompass multiple scales. The governing role of market actors, such as traders and consumers in importing countries, has been recognized and embraced for sustainable seafood sourcing and trade. The perceptions that affect the conduct of these actors are a potential influence on governance of distal environments. In this paper we investigate the perceptions of sea cucumber traders in China. Sea cucumbers are an important global fishery commodity predominantly traded to China, the world's largest seafood market, and seven traded species are endangered globally. We examine what traders and consumers in China perceive as important issues in seafood markets, and where they perceive the responsibility for sustainable fisheries to lie, to interpret what scope there is for sustainability to become an important issue in China's seafood markets. We find that clusters of perceptions about cultural status, quality, health and food safety, and country of origin influence decisions that consumers make. These norms are rooted in sociocultural practice and drive current trade strategies. While traders do want to mitigate risks and secure supplies, food safety, product quality and country of origin are viewed as more important concerns than stock sustainability. Responsibility for sustainable fishing is perceived to be that of national governments in production countries. Trading practices and consumer perceptions together pose a serious challenge to sustainable seafood markets, further confounded by clandestine cross-border gray trade into China.

Few studies have investigated salmon consumption and trade in unconventional emerging markets. Using import data, we calculate average per capita monthly salmon consumption in Taiwan, where all supply is imported, and use weighted least squares regression to relate it to economic variables, such as price, income, product types, and the exchange rate. By doing so, we interpret importers’ willingness to import and the features of salmon consumption. Results show complementarity between frozen and fresh salmon import quantities, insignificant exchange rate pass-through effects, and strong seasonal factors affecting salmon import quantity. In addition, the import price elasticity of fresh salmon is slightly larger than one, and the income elasticity is 1.33. We conclude that salmon has already become an important item for Taiwanese consumers, representing a case of globalization and liberalization. By explicating attributes of emerging seafood markets, this analysis will support stakeholders to formulate seafood trade policies and marketing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The impact of the EU (European Union) Generalized System of Preference (GSP) on the relative EU's demand for seafood quality was evaluated in the study. We first explored the theoretical Alchian–Allen result of change in ad valorem tariffs in an n–good world, and then tested this result in the empirical study. The theoretical analysis suggests that whether a reduced ad valorem tariff in an n–good case raises the relative demand for high-value goods depends not only on the substitutability between high-value and low-value goods but also on the substitutability between these similar goods with their weak substitutes. In the empirical sections, we first estimated the elasticities of the substitutions and then used these elasticities to evaluate the quality composition of the EU's seafood imports from the beneficiary countries. The empirical results in general confirm the occurrence of 'shipping the good fish out' due to the reduced tariff rates under the EU's GSP arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying socio-economic drivers of small-scale fisheries is a fundamental step to understand impacts and pressures on fishery resources, and the behaviour of seafood trade actors. It is especially relevant for developing countries where such information is usually lacking and fisheries management is greatly needed. To address this gap, this study maps the structure of value chains of fish and marine invertebrates caught by small-scale fisheries from São Vicente, Cape Verde (West Africa), and examines the main socio-economic drivers behind the seafood trade on the island. Specifically, it shows how drivers, such as tourism and the local market, shape the preferences for certain species and how they affect the distribution of income among actors involved in the seafood trade. To collect this information, interviews were done with fishers, small-scale traders, market vendors, and restaurant owners, in all fishing communities of the island of São Vicente, in 2015. Tourism and the local market drive the exploitation of a wide variety of marine species, from small demersal low trophic level fish and marine invertebrates, to large pelagic high trophic level fish species. Moreover, the local seafood market, and especially tourism dynamics, contribute to the unequal distribution of income among actor groups, benefiting mostly restaurant owners due to their direct access to tourist consumers. Such findings have implications for local fishery resources management, food security, and fishing communities’ livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distance between where food is produced and consumed is increasing, and is often taken as evidence of an unsustainable global food system. Seafood is a highly traded commodity yet seafood sustainability assessments do not typically consider the impacts of the movement of products beyond the fishery or farm. Here we use life cycle assessment to examine the carbon footprint of the production and distribution of select seafood products that are consumed in Australia and determine differences in the sustainability of imports and their domestically produced counterparts. We found that the distance food is transported is not the main determinant of food sustainability. Despite the increased distance between production and consumption, carbon footprints of meals from imported seafood are similar to meals consisting of domestically produced seafood, and sometimes lower, depending on the seafood consumed. In combining LCA with existing seafood sustainability criteria the trade-offs between sustainability targets become more apparent. Carbon ‘footprinting’ is one metric that can be incorporated in assessments of sustainability, thereby demonstrating a broader perspective of the environmental cost of food production and consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization has increased the speed and flow of people, information, and commodities across space, integrating markets and increasing interdependence of geographically dispersed places worldwide. Places historically driven by largely local forces and market demands are now increasingly affected by drivers at multiple scales. Trade is particularly important in driving these changes and more fish is now exported to international markets than ever before. When small-scale fisheries are integrated into global markets, local social–ecological systems change with potentially both positive and negative impacts on livelihoods, economics and ecology, but few studies systematically investigate how and why the outcomes of market integration vary from case to case. This paper systematically assesses multiple (social, ecological, economic and institutional) local effects of market integration in cases around the world by drawing on the global environmental change syndromes approach. Furthermore, we examine the factors contributing to the syndromes observed. Our analysis identifies three distinct social–ecological syndromes associated with international seafood trade. Results suggest that the presence of strong and well-enforced institutions is the principal factor behind the syndrome characterized by sustained fish stocks, while a combination of weak institutions, patron–client relationships, high demand from China and highly vulnerable target species explain the other two syndromes distinguished by declining stocks, conflict and debt among fishers. A key finding is that the factors emerging as important for explaining the different syndromes derive from different scales (e.g. local market structures vs distant market characteristics), indicating a need for multi-level governance approaches to deal with the effects of market integration. Furthermore, the meta-analysis shows that each syndrome encompasses fisheries from multiple continents. This suggests that the increasingly global nature of the seafood trade appears to be driving local dynamics by creating similar conditions for vulnerabilities in localities around the world, lending support to the notion of tele-connectivity across geographic space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Marine Stewardship Council is the leader in seafood ecolabel certification. Despite its high impact in promoting sustainable fishing and securing price premiums, a large proportion of fisheries withdraw from the scheme during or after certification. We, therefore, investigate the factors influencing the likelihood of withdrawal. To achieve this, we analysed publicly available information from 301 fisheries that have embarked on the certification process using survival analysis methods to investigate the withdrawal rate. It was found that the fishing gear used, and geographical location were the principal factors affecting the likelihood of withdrawal and that the risk of withdrawal is greatest during the full-assessment process and the first five years of certification. Our study also reviews the uneven global expansion of MSC ecolabelling by region and identifies factors that influence withdrawal and need to be considered in fisheries entering MSC certification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the high share of fisheries and aquaculture production entering international trade the analysis of seafood trade is of key importance for any policy measure in the aquaculture and fisheries sectors. In this study a gravity model is developed to explore the influence on seafood trade of primary production, food consumption, population, income, GDP, trade agreements and geographical distance. The model is applied to the entire seafood aggregate, in comparison with meat, over time, and at different levels of aggregation of commodities: by main commercial species, processing and preservation stage and aquaculture versus fisheries origin. From the methodological perspective the model formulation addresses two main issues in gravity models which are the incorporation of a multilateral resistance term and the treatment of zero trade flows. The results of the model indicate the peculiarities of seafood trade in respect of meat and, within the seafood aggregate, the extreme diversification of trade determinants linked to the commercial characteristics of the products. Seafood trade is attracted either by countries with well-established seafood preferences or by countries with low labour costs for further processing, while meat exports are favoured by high per capita income and high primary production of the exporting country. Seafood trade is expanding under the influence of two key forces: one is the growth of aquaculture production and the other is the trade for re-processing. These two phenomena are clearly emerging from the differences in the model coefficients when considering disaggregated seafood trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood sector can contribute to the global food supply in an important way, and provide an important source of animal protein. Based on observed regional trends in seafood production and consumption and using a global, partial-equilibrium, multi-market model, this study investigates what the global seafood market may look like in 2030. The model projects that the total fish supply will increase from 154 million tons in 2011 to 186 million tons in 2030, with aquaculture entirely responsible for the increase. The fastest aquaculture growth is expected for tilapia and shrimp, while the largest expansion is expected in India, Latin America and Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Fast-growing seafood demand in China and elsewhere represents a critical opportunity for global fisheries and aquaculture to improve their management and achieve sustainable seafood economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trade can allow countries to overcome local or regional losses (shocks) to their food supply, but reliance on international food trade also exposes countries to risks from external perturbations. Countries that are nutritionally or economically dependent on international trade of a commodity may be adversely affected by such shocks. While exposure to shocks has been studied in financial markets, communication networks, and some infrastructure systems, it has received less attention in food-trade networks. Here, we develop a forward shock-propagation model to quantify how trade flows are redistributed under a range of shock scenarios and assess the food-security outcomes by comparing changes in national fish supplies to indices of each country’s nutritional fish dependency. Shock propagation and distribution among regions are modeled on a network of historical bilateral seafood trade data from UN Comtrade using 205 reporting territories grouped into 18 regions. In our model exposure to shocks increases with total imports and the number of import partners. We find that Central and West Africa are the most vulnerable to shocks, with their vulnerability increasing when a willingness-to-pay proxy is included. These findings suggest that countries can reduce their overall vulnerability to shocks by reducing reliance on imports and diversifying food sources. As international seafood trade grows, identifying these types of potential risks and vulnerabilities is important to build a more resilient food system.

The food production system is increasingly global and seafood is among the most highly traded commodities. Global trade can improve food security by providing access to a greater variety of foods, increasing wealth, buffering against local supply shocks, and benefit the environment by increasing overall use efficiency for some resources. However, global trade can also expose countries to external supply shocks and degrade the environment by increasing resource demand and loosening feedbacks between consumers and the impacts of food production. As a result, changes in global food trade can have important implications for both food security and the environmental impacts of production. Measurements of globalization and the environmental impacts of food production require data on both total trade and the origin and destination of traded goods (the network structure). While the global trade network of agricultural and livestock products has previously been studied, seafood products have been excluded. This study describes the structure and evolution of the global seafood trade network, including metrics quantifying the globalization of seafood, shifts in bilateral trade flows, changes in centrality and comparisons of seafood to agricultural and industrial trade networks. From 1994 to 2012 the number of countries trading in the network remained relatively constant, while the number of trade partnerships increased by over 65%. Over this same period, the total quantity of seafood traded increased by 58% and the value increased 85% in real terms. These changes signify the increasing globalization of seafood products. Additionally, the trade patterns in the network indicate: increased influence of Thailand and China, strengthened intraregional trade, and increased exports from South America and Asia. In addition to characterizing these network changes, this study identifies data needs in order to connect seafood trade with environmental impacts and food security outcomes.

This paper examines the changing face of China's imports of fisheries products from the beginning of its market-oriented growth in the early 1990s to the present. We demonstrate how import demand has evolved by species group and country and examine the implications of these changes for the diversification of China's sourcing of fisheries products. We also examine how China's trade partners have changed in terms of governance and IUU risk. Finally, we examine four large product categories in depth to show how changes to underlying trends in domestic consumption, production and demand from export partners have shaped China's indirect demands on the world's fishery ecosystems through its imports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood supply chains are complex, not least in the diverse origins of capture fisheries and through aquaculture production being increasingly shared across nations. The business-to-business (B2B) seafood trade is supported by seafood shows that facilitate networking and act as fora for signaling of perceptions and values. In the Global North, sustainability related certifications and messaging have emerged as an important driver to channel the demands of consumers, institutions, and lead firms. This study investigates which logos, certifications, and claims were presented at the exhibitor booths within five seafood trade shows in China, Europe, and USA. The results indicate a difference in the way seafood is advertised. Messaging at the Chinese shows had less of an emphasis on sustainability compared to that in Europe and the USA, but placed a greater emphasis on food safety and quality than on environmental concerns. These findings suggest cultural differences in the way seafood production and consumption is communicated through B2B messaging. Traders often act as choice editors for final consumers. Therefore, it is essential to convey production processes and sustainability issues between traders and the market. An understanding of culture, messaging strategies, and interpretation could support better communication of product characteristics such as sustainability between producers, traders, and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses Brazil's export data for fish byproducts as a proxy for understanding trends in maw (swim bladder) trade on the Amazon coast. National exports totaled 4657.9 metric tons (t) and USD 163,476,733 from 2012 to 2020, with 21 countries or territories listed as importers and China accounting for 97% of the total volume. Annual export volumes increased from 153.2 t in 2012 to 733.4 t in 2020. Amazon states represented 95.6% of the total export volumes, which increased from 127 t in 2012 to 637 t in 2020, an increase of 398%. Maws are the main fish byproduct exploited in this region. They are considerably more expensive than flesh per unit weight of all 10 species (Sciaenidae and Ariidae) traded, with mean ex-vessel prices varying from 2 to 115 times more than the flesh. The volume of fish that is required to be harvested to produce 1 kg maw (fish:maw ratio) varies between 20 and 70 kg. The maw trade includes threatened species, and most fisheries remain under open access. Given that maw demands are rising, with new species entering the market, regulation measures should be implemented to protect vulnerable fishery resources and sustain the livelihoods of local communities. • Trends in Brazil's exports of fish byproducts during 2012–2020 were analyzed. • Annual export volumes increased from 153.2 t in 2012 to 733.4 t in 2020. • China account for 97% of total volumes of fish byproducts exported by Brazil. • Amazon states represented 95% of export volumes, and fish maw is the main product. • The maw trade includes threatened species, and most fisheries are unmanaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National rates of aquatic food consumption in Pacific Island Countries and Territories are among the highest in the world, yet the region is suffering from extensive levels of diet-related ill health. The aim of this paper is to examine the variation in consumption patterns and in nutrient composition of aquatic foods in the Pacific, to help improve understanding of their contribution to food and nutrition security. For this examination we analysed nutrient composition data and trade data from two novel region-specific databases, as well as consumption data from national and village level surveys for two Melanesian case studies, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. Results demonstrated that consumption depends on availability and the amount and type of aquatic food consumed, and its contribution to nutrition security varies within different geographic and socio-demographic contexts. More data is needed on locally relevant species and consumption patterns, to better inform dietary guidelines and improve public health both now and into the future. Advice on aquatic food consumption must consider the nutrient composition and quantity of products consumed, as well as accessibility through local food systems, to ensure they contribute to diverse and healthy diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]