Information

Fish trade, just as with all trades, requires information for its proper development: on sources and types of supply, demands, prices, trade regulations and norms, etc. The Fisheries Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) collects and analyses data on trade worldwide. It makes this data available in a variety of ways. GLOBEFISH , the unit in the Fisheries Department responsible for information on the international fish trade, aims to promote trade in fish products by providing up-to-date information on markets and prices, by bringing buyers and sellers together in international conferences, and through training industry and government officials on the quality requirements of the main markets. There are also a large number of regional and national public bodies and fishing industry associations engaged in dissemination of information on trade in fish and fish products.

Use of the Internet has grown rapidly as it offers possibilities of cutting transaction costs, improving efficiency, and expanding trading horizons. The latter offers the advantage to sellers of having a larger number of buyers, and to buyers of having a greater variety of products from different sellers, creating keener price competition.

Seafood e-commerce is expected to continue to grow very rapidly. Many of the internet sites offer extensive information, not just on prices and availability but also on trends in the markets and on other factors that may influence the fish trade.