ABSTRACT
Aquaculture production in Bulgaria has increased over the last decade, reaching 16 442 tonnes in 2019. Fish production has doubled in comparison with 2007, while that of mussels has increased tenfold. The Bulgarian contribution to EU aquaculture production has been increasing significantly in both volume and value over the years, making up 1.15% of the volume and 1.0% of the value of EU production in 2019. Freshwater aquaculture accounts for 78% of total production. Common carp dominates with about 29.4% (4836 t), followed by rainbow trout with 29.2% (4820 t) in 2019. The cultivation of sturgeon species and caviar production are among the most dynamically developing aquaculture segments. Mariculture in the Black Sea has increased in recent years, with the production of Mediterranean mussel reaching 2932 tonnes in 2019. An average of 405 farms operated during the period 2010-2019. Four regions (Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Burgas and Montana) account for 50% of the total fish production. Pond aquaculture is the dominant technology used in Bulgaria, and it serves as the basis for numerous other activities, including management of fish stocks in various water bodies mainly for recreational fishing. Approximately 35 net-cage farms currently operate in bigger dams. Recirculating fish farms output made up only 0.15% of the total amount of aquaculture for the period 2010-2019. The aquaculture sector exhibited difficulties in recovering from the financial crisis of 2007-2008, manifested by a slow growth for the period 2010-2014. From 2015 to 2019 there has been a significant growth, manifested in a sharp increase of total revenue and profitability, especially among the larger enterprises in the sector, as well as an increase in the number of employees, and the labour productivity. As a result, in 2019 the registered total revenue per enterprise and total revenue per employee were more than double the respective figures for 2010. The profits of larger enterprises increased more than three times on average, but smaller entities, micro-enterprises with less than 5 employees, operated at the border line between profit and loss. The COVID-19 crisis could have lasting consequences. Despite EUR 1.2 million direct payments in the sector in 2020, there has been a significant drop in the export of aquaculture products. Consumption of fish and other aquaculture products remains low compared to those in the other EU countries.
ABSTRACT
This research determines the impacts of COVID-19 US on crawfish production and consumption for 2020 and 2021 using an Equilibrium Displacement Model. In the US, crawfish is one of the seafood commodities where most production is consumed by domestic consumers (7% of domestic consumption is from imports). Crawfish and rice are complementary. Therefore, the impacts of COVID-19 on crawfish consumption simultaneously influence rice production and crawfish producers and consumers. In the first year of COVID-19 (2020), the reduction in crawfish retail demand caused negative effects on final consumers and producers. However, crawfish consumption recovered significantly in the second year (2021), which could compensate for the loss in 2020. Overall, consumer and producer gains ranged from $549 to $626 million if the COVID-19 pandemic only impacted retail consumption. However, in 2021, the increase in production costs due to higher oil/diesel prices and other input prices caused the farm supply to decrease. As a result, total welfare gains ranged from $200 to $228 million. If the demand in 2021 did not increase, but the crawfish farm supply decreased, consumer and producer losses ranged from $929 to $1045 million. Overall, the total effects of COVID-19 on consumers and producers for 2020 and 2021 depend on its effects in 2021. If the demand in 2021 increased following the decrease in farm supply, consumers and producers would benefit from the shocks of COVID-19 due to higher post-COVID-19 demand.
ABSTRACT
Seafood is the food group with the highest share traded, and the U.S. is the world's largest seafood importer, importing 79% of the seafood consumed. Hence, a study examining the impacts of the measures to contain COVID-19 on U.S. seafood imports will not only show how U.S. seafood availability has been affected, but will also give strong indications of how resiliently the global seafood markets have worked through the pandemic. We find that U.S. imports of seafood actually increased in 2020 and 2021, suggesting supply chains were able to adapt to potential disruptions. Moreover, for the 14 largest product forms imported to the U.S., there are no strong price movements. Given that there is a global market for most species groups, this adaption also suggests that the markets have worked quite well beyond the U.S. Hence, while there have undoubtedly been market shocks associated with the COVID-19 measures such as the reduction in demand from the restaurant sector and the increased sales in the retail sector, opportunities seem to balance out challenges, and the supply chains for seafood to the U.S. have been highly resilient.
ABSTRACT
This special issue consists of seven articles examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the markets of selected commodities, including: seafood, lumber, crawfish, cattle/beef, fruits and vegetables in the USA, cotton and garments in Bangladesh, and fuel oil globally.
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First, this paper defines the definition and classification of recreational fishery. Second, the paper analyzes the present situation of recreational fishery from production scale, growth rate, proportion of annual output value of fishery and industrial structure, then discusses the development opportunities of recreational fishery in terms of policy, economy, culture and technology. Third, the paper analyzes the problem of recreational fishery in terms of the talent, the ability to bear risk, the influence of COVID-19. Finally, the paper discusses the high quality development mode of recreational fishery in China against the background of industrial integration. The research showed:the production scale of recreational fishery increased, the growth rate of recreational fishery declined but higher than the annual output growth rate of the total annual output of the fishery, proportion of annual output value of fishery increased steadily, and the structure of recreational fishery developed steadily, guided by recreational fishing and collecting industry and tourism-oriented recreational fishery, supplemented by fishing tackle, bait ornamental fish, fishery medicine, aquatic equipment, other related industries, ornamental fish industry developed rapidly. At present, recreational fisheries has a series of opportunities such as self-advantages, government policy support, good external economic environment and cultural environment, good facilities and technology. At the same time, recreational fishery facing a series of challenges such as shortage of talents, the ability to bear risk is limited and the shock of COVID-19. Finally, The paper proposes the three-dimensional mode of recreational fishery developing in high quality based on industrial convergence to promote the long-term, steady and high-quality development of recreational fishery.
ABSTRACT
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) held its twelfth session in hybrid mode, in Casablanca, Morocco and online from 7-9 June 2022. The session was attended by delegates from 18 contracting parties, three cooperating non-contracting parties, one observer, as well as representatives of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, the GFCM Secretariat and invited experts. During the session, the Committee reviewed the work carried out during the 2019-2022 intersession, including within the framework of the GFCM 2030 Strategy for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (GFCM 2030 Strategy) and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provided advice on priorities in the field of aquaculture management and research.
ABSTRACT
The 2020 FAO Vigo Dialogue focused on promoting human and labour rights to ensure better social practices along fisheries and aquaculture value chains, including emphasizing social problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The main issues and challenges that the sector is facing were discussed and identified. The Dialogue raised awareness of the situation faced by fish workers and the industry due to the pandemic, and allowed FAO to collaborate with relevant stakeholders by providing a clear outline of the significant challenges on social issues in fisheries and aquaculture value chains.
ABSTRACT
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries (SAC) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) held its twenty-second session online, from 22 to 25 June 2021. The session was attended by delegates from 19 Mediterranean contracting parties, 11 observers, as well as representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Fisheries Division, the GFCM Secretariat and invited experts. The Committee reviewed the work carried out during the 2019-2021 intersession, including within the framework of the mid-term strategy (2017-2020) towards the sustainability of Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provided advice on status of priority stocks and ecosystems and on potential management measures addressing key fisheries and vulnerable species in the Mediterranean. In line with the subregional approach, the Committee formulated advice focusing on: (i) small pelagic and priority demersal fisheries in the Adriatic Sea;(ii) common dolphinfish and blackspot seabream fisheries in the western Mediterranean;(iii) small pelagic and bottom trawl fisheries exploiting demersal stocks, particularly European hake, in the central Mediterranean;(iv) deep-water red shrimp fisheries in the eastern-central Mediterranean, including their interactions with vulnerable marine ecosystems;and (v) round sardinella in the eastern Mediterranean. The Committee also agreed on the technical soundness of three FRA proposals for the Bari Canyon, the Ebro Delta margin and the Palmahim Disturbance, to be submitted to the Commission. At the regional level, the Committee provided advice on the following: (i) fishing technology and bycatch, including minimal technical specifications for bottom-trawl nets and the need for targeted pilot projects to investigate possible mitigation measures;(ii) data call for the database on sensitive benthic habitats and species and other effective area-based conservation measures for the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems and essential fish habitats;and (iii) advances in the adaptation strategy for climate change. Furthermore, the Committee discussed additional work in support of the GFCM, namely the implementation of the Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, dedicated research programmes as well as other activities to enhance fisheries management in the region. Finally, the Committee agreed upon its work plan for 2021-2023.
ABSTRACT
Aquaculture of Tra catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) of Mekong Delta has a record production of 1,525 million tons in 2022. It is one of the largest single-species based farming systems that is restricted to a small geographical area, in the world. The product (frozen fillets) that has been exported to over 138 countries with a value of about 1.6 billion USD is an acceptable alternative to white fish. Tra catfish is farmed in earthen ponds, up to 4 m in deep, in nine provinces in the Mekong Delta in South Vietnam. Over the years, the Tra catfish farming and processing industry in Vietnam has been constantly developed and become a spearhead economic sector of Vietnam which has become a leading part of international economic integration. However, due to the global impact of the Covid-19 epidemic with increasing competition pressure and product quality requirements, the Tra catfish industry is facing both challenges and opportunities. Therefore, in this paper, the Tra catfish such as species, anatomical composition, and chemical composition is briefly reviewed. After that, the value chain of Tra catfish in the Mekong Delta as well as demand forecasting and development orientation in the future is further analyzed.
ABSTRACT
For many Kenyans, the aquaculture business provides a vital source of food and work. However, information on Kenya's aquaculture sector's resilience in the face of emerging global shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic requires additional examination. Prior to the epidemic, Kenya's aquaculture industry had grown from a tiny participant to a critical component of the country's fish food system, with fish and fisheries products becoming the most extensively traded food commodity in Kenyan market places. However, as indicated in the review, the aquaculture value chain has not been scrutinised since the onset of COVID-19. Lockdowns enacted during the pandemic had a significant influence on access to aquaculture inputs, fish commerce, and the socio-economic livelihoods of stakeholders and players in Kenya's aquaculture value chain. Thus, initial and long-term adaptive strategies, particularly those implemented by governments, could help to the development of COVID-19 specific and generic resilience to numerous shocks and stressors among stakeholders and players involved in the country's aquaculture industry. Some of the measures include a government incentive package to help the fisheries and aquaculture sectors recover, improve farming operations, and gain market trust, as well as the adoption of new methods to reduce labor intensity, such as intelligent sensors, camera systems, and automated or remotely controlled monitoring/feeding strategies. Such strategies and policies can protect the sector from future shocks triggered by pandemics and other unforeseen circumstances.
ABSTRACT
In order to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the entire aquaculture value chain in China and what strategy and measures have been taken to support the stakeholders to address the impact of the pandemic on the sector, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) supported the Freshwater Fisheries Research Centre (FFRC) in carrying out a preliminary investigation. The investigation focused on channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) farming in Hubei Province and tilapia farming (Oreochromis spp.) in Guangdong Province. The results indicated a significant difference in the impact of the pandemic on different stakeholders in the two subsectors. The investigation also identified the most significant specific impact of the pandemic on production and operation at different value chain links. The investigation also covered the impact of the pandemic on the livelihood of households engaged in the value chain, which significantly reduced income due to lower payment and business revenue. As an important output of the study, a set of strategies and measures were recommended for supporting the aquaculture sector and stakeholders in the value chain to cope with the pandemic and other similar risks in the future.
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This report describes the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the productive and economic aspects of livestock and aquaculture production in Italy, including farm management, labour, income, marketing and consumption of animal products (meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products), consumer behaviour, food safety, agrotourism and disease control.
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Restocking of fish in Small Water Bodies (SWBs) is one of the technologies that can be used to enhance fish-food production for post Covid recovery and growth in food security, and national development. The current study aimed at assessing the socioeconomic impact and stock performance of restocked Nile tilapia fingerlings in SWBs in 15 counties in the Western and Central regions where the Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP) is implemented. The study employed both primary and secondary data from socioeconomics, environmental characteristics and fisheries and aquaculture aspects. There was no restocked dam with a low (<1.66) socioeconomic impact, indicating the potential for restocking. The majority (n = 27;79%) of the restocked SWBs had a moderate (1.66-2.33) impact, owing to the inherent constraints of adoptability by the local community. Twenty one percent (n = 7;21%) of the SWBs had a high (2.34-3.00) impact and with better environmental conditions. The average condition factor (K) of tilapia in restocked SWBs was 1.24 +or- 0.53 SD, suggesting excellent fish growth condition. Notably, restocking the SWBs could benefit riparian fishing communities by improving their livelihoods and providing food and nutritional security. Given the limited exploitation of fish in most SWBs in the developing countries, additional community awareness and capacity building interventions are needed to enhance optimal use of SWBs in post Covid era.
ABSTRACT
Ornamental fish production in Sri Lanka has become a valuable foreign exchange earner during recent past years. However, COVID-19 pandemic has been explored worldwide and it has affected the world trade and economy from different perspectives. This study was conducted to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ornamental fish production., Moreover, study on present status of ornamental fish farmers' major constraints and suggestions to overcome those constraints of ornamental fish farmers were also conducted. In Colombo district, four important Divisional Secretariat (DS) divisions were purposely selected for the study, as they are the main ornamental fish production areas of the district. The data was collected from a randomly selected 60 farmers using a field survey from July to October 2020. Descriptive statistics, two sample Wilcoxon signed-rank test and chi-square test were used to analyses the data. Results revealed that, there are both negative and positive impacts on ornamental fish production due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ornamental fish farmers have to face mainly production and marketing problems. Some of them have engaged in coping strategies and resilience methods during COVID-19 period. Coping strategies have shown a significant association with the income and the production capacity of the farms. However, the majority of ornamental fish farmers haven't engaged in resilience methods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other than the COVID-19 pandemic, the major constraints of ornamental fish production were lack of market information about the changes in the overseas markets and demand, the low price given for the product and lack of communication between farmers and exporters. Ideal "ORNAFISBIZ" model is suggested for overcome those constraints in order to protect the ornamental fish farmers in this area.
ABSTRACT
The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was associated with an "anthropause" in many industries, initially reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other negative anthropogenic influences. However, outdoor recreation has exploded in popularity in response to closures of indoor recreation options, increased free time, and/or increased levels of stress. We tested for the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sale of fishing licenses in Wisconsin and on vehicle counts that were observed at public lake access points in Vilas County, Wisconsin, in 2020. In the summer of 2020, fishing license sales in Wisconsin, USA, increased, particularly among first-time license purchasers for whom cumulative sales in 2020 increased by 71% and 35% compared with the previous 5-year average for Wisconsin residents and nonresidents, respectively. Changes in the vehicle counts at lake access points in the summer of 2020 varied considerably by lake. However, lakes with greater proportions of public shoreline experienced pandemic-associated increases in lake visitors. Our results suggest that the distribution of recreational fishing effort in Wisconsin changed during the pandemic, potentially placing additional harvest pressures on hot spot inland lakes.
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According to five national reports prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Subregional Office for North Africa, the Maghreb fishery and aquaculture sectors experienced a significant decline in activity in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reports are based on a survey conducted in four Maghreb countries: Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, which all experienced a drop in production and income in 2020. The reports also showed that consumption shifted towards canned, frozen and processed fish at the expense of fresh products, especially at the beginning of the pandemic. This consumer behaviour impacted fish demand and prices.
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This article reports on a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) technical assistance project entitled "Support to the implementation of mariculture in Kenya within an ecosystem approach", which supported pilot seaweed culture sites, with a specific focus on best management practices for production, post-harvest management and value addition. The article highlights the benefits reaped by the Kibuyuni Seaweed Women, one of five seaweed groups supported by the project.
ABSTRACT
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan raised its alert level to Level 3 in May 2021 and began to strengthen various pandemic prevention measures, which directly affected economic activities and people's lives. The fishery industry and fishing villages have also been impacted. This study investigated fishing villages in Taiwan, and conducted a literature review, focus groups, and in-depth interviews to explore the situations of the fishing villages under the impacts of COVID-19 in Taiwan. Moreover, it discussed the post-pandemic adaptation strategies to help the fishing villages deal with the uncertainty caused by the pandemic and sustainable development. The research results show that due to the pandemic prevention measures, the fishing villages reduced community operations, maintained safe social distancing, implemented community disinfection and cleaning, reduced cross-community movement, suspended various educational programs, all of which directly affected the community organization, production, tourism, and ecological environment of the fishing villages. During the new normal period before the pandemic ceases to spread, the operational models of fishing villages need to incorporate remote resources, Internet marketing, travel planning based on pandemic control, and ecological resources monitoring. At the same time, strengthening the community network of the fishing village residents, reinforcing the cooperation and exchange of experiences among partners of the fishing village, and cultivating the ability and resilience of the fishing villages for continuous operations in the post-pandemic era are important strategies to achieve the sustainable development of fishing villages.
ABSTRACT
This research aimed to identify the repercussions of the corona pandemic on the economic and social conditions of workers in the fish resources sector as viewed by experts and specialists. Field data were collected within the governorates of Aswan and Dakahlia using a personal interview questionnaire during January 2022, for a simple random sample of experts and specialists according to Cochran's equation. Frequencies, percentages, actual range, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, relative weight, and Mann-Whitney test were used to analyze the data and present the results through the SPSS program, the most important results: That the social conditions of workers in the fish sector were more affected by the repercussions of the Corona pandemic compared to the economic conditions, and that the relative importance of the repercussions of the Corona pandemic on the economic and social conditions of workers in the fish sector was of medium importance, according to the opinions of the experts and specialists, and the results also showed that there were no significant differences between the average ranks of the opinions of experts and specialists towards the repercussions of the Corona virus pandemic on the economic and social conditions of workers in the fish resources.
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The article presents the production of bioregional maps lived and managed in the territory of fishing communities, based on their involvement, knowledge and actions, referring to the impacts of the oil spill in 09 locations on the coast of NE Brazil. Several fishing communities were affected by the oil spill crime that occurred in 2019. Territorial management is constituted, in the event on screen, from actions that aimed to solve problems arising from the impacts on the territory that are described and problematized by the fishing communities themselves that had suffering prolonged over time and space due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The descriptions and problematizations were constituted and systematized from the project "Manchas do Sofrimento" originated from the INCT Amb Tropic II, GT 4.0 Oil Spills. Decolonial and Popular Education references allowed the fabric of this article, whose methodology was based on a qualitative approach, based on the collaborative construction of maps by fishermen and fishermen and a team of researchers and scholars from the Federal University of Bahia. The technique of bioregional mapping, based on citizen science, structures the methodological dimension. As a result, we bring a methodology constituted in an integrative way, in which multiple knowledge enabled the elaboration of maps, which demonstrated the sense of belonging of fishermen and fisherwomen and defense of their territorialities. from the collaborative construction of maps by fishermen and fisherwomen and a team of researchers and scholars from the Federal University of Bahia. The technique of bioregional mapping, based on citizen science, structures the methodological dimension. As a result, we bring a methodology constituted in an integrative way, in which multiple knowledge enabled the elaboration of maps, which demonstrated the sense of belonging of fishermen and fisherwomen and defense of their territorialities. from the collaborative construction of maps by fishermen and fisherwomen and a team of researchers and scholars from the Federal University of Bahia. The technique of bioregional mapping, based on citizen science, structures the methodological dimension. As a result, we bring a methodology constituted in an integrative way, in which multiple knowledge enabled the elaboration of maps, which demonstrated the sense of belonging of fishermen and fisherwomen and defense of their territorialities.