Ziyuan Kexue (Jun 2023)

Global aquatic product consumption footprint and regional diffrences

  • CHEN Wei, WEI Chunzhu, XUE Desheng, HUANG Gengzhi, CHANG Ying

DOI
https://doi.org/10.18402/resci.2023.06.12
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 45, no. 6
pp. 1255 – 1267

Abstract

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[Objective] As a crucial source of food for human beings, aquatic products are essential for guaranteeing global food security and stabilizing the food supply chain network, and revealing the characteristics of the aquatic product consumption footprint chain is conducive to further optimizing the sustainable utilization of fishery resources. [Methods] Based on the FAOSTAT and FAO fishery statistics, a multi-regional input-output table of 21 regions globally in 2019 was constructed at the regional, sectoral, and species levels to reveal biomass flows among sectors and to measure the consumption footprint of each region. [Results] The results indicate that: (1) Global aquatic product consumption footprint at the regional scale showed an obvious long tail distribution. China ranked first with 68.8 million tons (38.6%), followed by East Asia and Southeast Asia, South Asia, European Union, and North America, all exceeding 7.0 million tons. (2) The global consumption footprint of aquatic products manifested strong mobility between sectors and regions. A total of 89.9% of consumption footprint flowed into the human consumption sector, and 26.0% participated in international trade to achieve cross-regional transfer. (3) Aquaculture was the second largest consumption footprint inflow sector following human consumption. Fish consumption accounted for more than 62.0% in all regions, followed by molluscs and crustaceans. (4) Of China’s aquatic product consumption footprint, 83.9% was self-sufficient, and the aquaculture sector accounted for 76.8%. However, fishmeal and fish oil, indispensable for aquaculture production, was heavily reliant on input consumption footprint in China, mainly from South America, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. [Conclusion] In order to realize the restructuring and upgrading of the aquatic product production and consumption footprint chain to ensure global food security, we should improve resource utilization efficiency, optimize international trade structure, strengthen fishery resource management, and promote green and healthy aquaculture.

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