Fisheries

4. How are fishery products used?

• 4.1 What are the general trends in processing and consumption?
• 4.2 How much is consumed per person?
• 4.3 What role can fisheries play in national development and poverty reduction?

4.1 What are the general trends in processing and consumption?

Humans mainly consume fresh fish, but also processed fish products in frozen, canned, or cured form.

It is estimated that more than three-quarters of the fisheries production in the world in 2002 was used for human consumption. This amounted to over 100 million tonnes. The remaining portion was used mainly in the manufacturing of fishmeal and oil, but also as direct feed for animals (Figure 2 ).

Table 1: World Fisheries production and utilization 

Table 2: Fisheries Production and utilization:excluding China 

Processing fish does not tend to increase the price of the final product, and fresh fish is still the most widely accepted product on the market. Freezing is the main method of processing fish for food use, accounting for 53% of the total processed fish for human consumption in 2002, followed by canning (27%) and curing (20%).

There are marked geographical differences in the ways in which fish are used. For instance, the proportion of cured fish is higher in Africa and Asia. By contrast, Europeans and North Americans mostly consume frozen or canned fish.

In 2002, almost all non-food fish products came from natural stocks of small oceanic species such as anchoveta. Fishmeal and fish oil together represent 90% of non-food fish products (excluding those used or produced in China). The remaining 10% was largely direct feed for aquaculture and fur animals. More...

4.2 How much is consumed per person?

The consumption of fish and seafood, counted per person per year, is distributed unevenly around the globe. It ranges from less than 1 kg to more than 100 kg.

In 2002, per capita food supply of fish, crustaceans, and molluscs was estimated to be about 16.2 kg worldwide; this was 3.1 kg more than in 1992. However, excluding figures from China, the per capita supply was only 13.2 kg, which is almost the same as in 1992. The per capita fish supply in China in 2002 was about 27.7 kg, following a strong increase in the preceding decade.

Fish represents a valuable part of the diet of many countries, providing micronutrients, minerals, essential fatty acids, and proteins. In a few countries (such as Iceland and Japan) fish may contribute as much as 180 kcal of energy per person per day, but more commonly this figure is about 20 to 30 kcal. Fish proteins provide at least 20% of the average intake of animal protein for more than 2.6 billion people. In some parts of Asia and Africa it is even more than 50% of the average intake.

In industrialized countries the average fish and seafood consumption per person per year rose slightly from 28.0 kg in 1992 to 28.6 kg in 2001.

Table 10: Food fish supply by continent 

In poor countries which are net importers of food (LIFDCs), the average fish supply per person was 9.5 kg in 1992, increasing to 14.0 kg by 2001. However, excluding the contribution of China, the average supply was still relatively low in 2001 at an estimated 8.5 kg per person.

Two-thirds of the total fishery products available for consumption in 2001 were consumed in Asia (14.1 kg per person) with half of that in China alone (25.6 kg per person).

Dietary consumption patterns are influenced by several factors. Fish and fishery products are increasingly being marketed in fresh form as well as processed into ready-to-cook or ready-to-eat products, particularly in wealthy economies. The differences in consumption patterns per species are even more marked. For example, crustaceans are still high-priced commodities and are mostly consumed in wealthy economies.

In 2002, nearly two-thirds of the world fish and seafood supply for human consumption came from capture fisheries, with the rest being produced by aquaculture. The contribution of capture fisheries to the global per capita food supply declined slightly in the last decade, particularly after 1997. More...

4.3 What role can fisheries play in national development and poverty reduction?

The fisheries sector plays an important role in the alleviation of poverty and the achievement of food security in many parts of the world. Fisheries exports now generate more foreign exchange than the revenues earned from any other traded food commodity such as rice, cocoa, coffee, or tea. Worldwide, more than 38 million people are directly engaged in fishing and fish farming as a full-time or, more frequently, part-time occupation, and fishery products account for 15–16% of global animal protein intake.

Developing countries presently supply 70% of the fish for human consumption. In countries where the fisheries sector is particularly important it makes a significant contribution to both exports and domestic nutritional intake, although this is generally not reflected in the national policies of these countries.

Further efforts should therefore be made to ensure the effective integration of fisheries into key national policy documents relating to poverty reduction and rural development. Particular attention should be paid to gender issues and internationally recognized fishery development instruments such as the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. More...