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Chinese seafood consumption and implications for the Asia-Pacific. 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.
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Chinese seafood consumption and implications for the Asia-Pacific Michael Fabinyi Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University and Department of Sociology, Peking University
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 ‘in-home’ consumption: 10.1kg/person • Despite data limitations, clear that seafood consumption is rising steadily • Key drivers: increased incomes, urbanisation
Overview of Chinese seafood consumption 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
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
Ecological impacts of LRFFT • Overfishing • Targeting of spawning aggregations • Use of cyanide • Plate-sized and juvenile fish targeted
Social impacts of LRFFT • Health issues • Distribution of financial benefits • Important livelihood
Community level problems and issues in LRFFT fishing communities (n = 431)
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
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