Are consumers fully aware of the health benefits of seafood? Many consumers do not act as if they are. It seems they do not have the information they need about the positive impacts the omega-3 fatty acids in seafood make on heart, brain and eye health. While fatty fish are especially good sources, any seafood is a better source of omega-3s than red meat. The need remains for clear communication and education about the health benefits, nutritional value and sources of omega-3s.
An analysis of the relationships between aquaculture development and its consequences on seafood consumption found both similarities and differences across countries and species. Developing and emerging producing countries coincided across seafood consumption and the share of local aquaculture in total supply.
The aquaculture industry influences global seafood prices by increasing international trade competition. The fish price indices published by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations report the aggregate effects of seafood supply and demand.
Commercially harvested shellfish have been reported to cause gastro-enteritis when humans consume virus-contaminated products. Rotaviruses are one of the main types of viruses able to survive and persist in the aquatic environment.
The Global Nutrition Report 2014 highlights that nutrition and food security is a concern in all countries, not just low-income ones. Urbanization and rising living standards are key drivers in the ongoing increases in seafood demand and fisheries development.
In a survey of 160 consumers of gilthead sea bream in Catalonia, Spain, farmed bream were generally well accepted by consumers, who preferred fresh to frozen product. Price was a significant attribute. Duty consumers, the largest group, ate fish mainly for health-related reasons.
Research found that 80 to 90 percent of U.S. consumers did not meet federal dietary seafood recommendations and that seafood consumption varies significantly among socio-demographic groups.
In recent years, most of Brazil’s farmed shrimp production has been absorbed by the domestic market. The country’s aquaculture industry shifted focus from exporting frozen shrimp as a commodity in 2004 toward a growing internal demand for fresh and value-added shrimp.
Live markets represent a promising niche in regions where locally raised seafood cannot compete with inexpensive imports. Study results suggested regional shrimp producers could effectively reach premium markets by shipping using waterless methods.
Safety and sustainability are key concepts affecting consumers’ decisions on tuna consumption. Although the benefits of consumption exceed the potential negative effects, tuna’s harmful attributes tend to negatively impact purchasing in at-risk groups.
The increasingly fashionable Paleo Diet promotes eating like a caveman, with lots of protein, fruits and vegetables. However, it favors wild-caught seafood to farmed fish due to issues associated with feed sources and practices.
Within the European market of frozen fish, tilapia play a minor role, with average yearly import quantities below 20,000 mt. China provides more than 80 percent of the total, while Indonesia is the second-largest exporter.
Effective marketing of farmed seafood faces a number of hurdles not found in other industries. Many consumers have preconceived notions that farmed fish cannot taste good and comes from an environment not conducive to producing high-quality, flavorful food.
A new venture under development in the Bahamas will capitalize on Tropic Seafood’s established logistics and infrastructure to diversify its operations from processing and selling wild fisheries products to include the culture of grouper and other marine fish.
Fish is the world’s most traded protein – and a healthy choice that will help feed the world’s growing population into the future. Aquaculture represents the most efficient method by which to convert feed to edible protein, and its use of marine ingredients is being addressed.
The United States Food and Drug Administration has updated its advice for pregnant women on mercury and seafood with greater emphasis on the benefits of eating fish. This is a positive story, but reporting on the new perspective muddied its message with opinion and innuendo. Let us all find the way to continue to promote aquaculture’s healthy, renewable products in ways that keep the stories simple, so the messages are not lost on the journey to consumers.