Fish to 2020 in changing global markets: trade liberalization and market access constraints for developing countries

摘要

The global outlook for fish suggests a growing dependence on aquaculture. According to a study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) 1 and the WorldFish Center (Delgado et al 2003), by 2020 more than 40 percent of fish consumed will come from fish farms, as aquaculture production nearly doubles and the supply of wild caught fish from oceans and rivers stagnates. Overall consumption of fish is projected to dramatically increase to 128 million metric tons in 2020 from 91 million metric tonnes in 1997. Increased trade has integrated many local and domestic fisheries in developing countries with foreign markets all over the world. Continued access to foreign markets is a major factor for developing countries to increase and maintain their high performance in fish trade. Removal or easing of many traditional barriers to trade such as tariffs and quantitative restrictions through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and more recently the World Trade Organization (WTO) have played a significant role in increasing fish trade. Despite significant tariff reductions in both developing and developed countries, the selective use of tariffs, and several different types of non-tariff barriers related to food and environmental safety standards, continue to limit access to international markets. This paper provides a prospective analysis of future supply and demand for fish, and analyses critical market access and trade liberalization issues in fisheries. It also focuses on constraints faced by developing countries from both demand and supply perspectives. Demand side constraints include those related to international trade such as tariff and non-tariff barriers, while the supply side constraints reflect domestic challenges indeveloping countries, including issues related to the sustainability of natural resources.