Michael Fabinyi
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef
Studies, James Cook University and
Department of Sociology, Peking University

Leading market for seafood

Implications for source countries
•Different economic, ecological and political opportunities and challenges related to the rise of Chinese seafood consumption

Summary of Talk
•Overview of Chinese seafood consumption
•Luxury seafood consumption in Beijing
•Live reef food fish trade in Philippines

Overview of Chinese seafood consumption
•Large data gaps: basic statistics, trade flows, consumption patterns, consumer perspectives
•Strong incentives for falsification of production data

Overview of Chinese seafood consumption
•FAO data refers to ‘food supply’: 26.7kg/person
•Government consumption data refers to ‘inhome’ consumption: 10.1kg/person
•Despite data limitations, clear that seafood consumption is rising steadily
•Key drivers: increased incomes, urbanisation

Overview of Chinese seafood consumption
0-100
100.1-200
200.1-300
300.1-600
600.1+
Urban per capita consumption of aquatic products by region
Zhou et al 2012: Food consumption trends in China

Overview of Chinese seafood consumption
•Three types of seafood imports:
•re-processing and re-exporting (e.g. salmon, whitefish)
•fishmeal (for aquaculture)
•luxury high value (for domestic consumption)
•A focus on luxury seafood imports in this talk

Types of luxury seafood

Types of luxury seafood

Types of luxury seafood

Social drivers of luxury seafood consumption
•The role of the banquet in modern China
•Conspicuous consumption
•Southern Chinese cuisine

Recent policy developments
•Crack down by Chinese government on corruption
•Significant impact on luxury seafood consumption
“Look in the mirror, fix your clothes, take a bath, and seek remedies” - Xi Jinping, President of China

Source countries
• Live reef fish for food trade (LRFFT)
• Highlights issues developing countries face when exporting seafood to China
• Estimates of trade worth about $1-2billion,
30,000 tons per year
• Exported mostly to China – important component of seafood banquets

LRFFT Commodity
Chain
Source
China
Sadovy et al. 2003, While Stocks Last

Figure courtesy Geoffrey Muldoon, WWF Coral Triangle

Ecological impacts of LRFFT
•Overfishing
•Targeting of spawning aggregations
•Use of cyanide
•Plate-sized and juvenile fish targeted

Fishers’ perceptions of declines in fish stocks
(n = 214)
% respondents who think live fish fishing trip length has increased
57%
% respondents who think catch of leopard coral grouper has decreased
75%
% respondents who think average size of leopard coral grouper has decreased
74%

Social impacts of LRFFT
•Health issues
•Distribution of financial benefits
•Important livelihood

Community level problems and issues in LRFFT fishing communities (n = 431)
1. Health care
2. Lack of or limited livelihood opportunities
3. Food security
4. Drinking/potable water supply
5. Lack of roads/ transportation
6. No electrification
7. Limited educational opportunities
8. Declining fish catch and/or depleted fishery resources
9. Lack of access to credit
10. Waste Management
11. Destruction of fishery or coastal habitats
12. Lack of access to markets for products
13. Low price of fish
14. Lack of land for agriculture
15. Peace and order situation
16. Bad weather

Social issues in LRFFT fishing communities
•Lack of viable alternative livelihoods
•LRFFT is a rare pathway to improved standard of living
•Disconnect between household interests and wider-scale interests

US lobster exports to China
2500
2000
Weight
Value
35000
30000
25000
1500
20000
1000
15000
10000
500
5000
0
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
0
Source: NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service

Summing up…
•Increased Chinese seafood consumption driver of stock declines
•Fisheries present potential benefits but currently not realised
•Ongoing policy activities by state, ENGO, market actors

Thank you
•ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies,
JCU, Australia
•Prof. Liu Neng, Peking University, China
•Prof. Michael Pido, Palawan State University,
Philippines michael.fabinyi@jcu.edu.au