Responsible Fish Trade and Food Security

Book excerpt: This report focuses primarily on the direct and indirect influences of fish trade and food security. It reviews in detail the positive and negative impacts of international fish trade on food security in low-income food-deficit countries. The main findings are that this trade has had a positive effect on food security, both through higher availability of fish for human consumption in developing countries and through higher income generated through trade. The report cautions, however, that sustainable resource management practices are a necessary condition for sustainable international trade. It also highlights the need for free and transparent trade and market policies to ensure that benefits from international trade are enjoyed by all segments of society.