History of Fish Maketing and Trade with Particular Reference to
Japan
By Yoshiaki Matsuda
ABSTRACT
The Japanese experience in fish marketing and trade is rich in terms of long history, species handled, products forms, cooking methods, ways of utilization, and interaction with fisheries production. Origin of marketing is closely associated with fisheries because of low self-sufficiency rate of fishermen. Processed fisheries commodities have been used as offerings, tax, and military food due to their scarcity. Salt has been the basic commodity among tradable fisheries commodities and enriched human life. Traditional marketing and trade include commercialization of seasonings; dried, smoked, fermented, and salted seafood; and fertilizer. Modern marketing and trade include commercialization of cultured commodities, seaweed as food and raw materials, canned fish, fish paste, fish oil/fish meal/fertilizer, frozen/fresh/live fish and shrimp.
Food diversity and wise utilization of renewable resources are essential for the human survival in the 21st century. Despite of the conventional use of fish as food, drugs and raw materials, most marine organisms are not utilized yet. As healthy food, drugs, raw materials, and ornamental use, there is a great potential in fisheries and fish trade if fishery resources are wisely managed under the WTO framework started in 1994.
KEYWORDS: History, Fish marketing and trade, Japan, Food diversity, Utilization of renewable resources, Fisheries management and trade
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