Commentary on Mazid

pp. 106-109 in Traditional Technology for Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development in the Asian-Pacific Region

Proceedings of the UNESCO - University of Tsukuba International Seminar on Traditional Technology for Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development in the Asian-Pacific Region, held in Tsukuba Science City, Japan, 11-14 December, 1995.
Editors: Kozo Ishizuka, D. Sc. , Shigeru Hisajima, D. Sc. , Darryl R.J. Macer, Ph.D.

Copyright 1996 Masters Program in Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba. Commercial rights are reserved, but this book may be reproduced for limited educational purposes. Published by the Master's Program in Environmental Science and Master's Program in Biosystem Studies, University of Tsukuba, 1996.

Toru Taniuchi
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN

The total world fishery catch has been growing and exceeded one hundred million metric tons in 1993 (101,417,500), according to fishery statistics by FAO (Figure 1). Of these, the marine catch constituted 83.1 % of the total while the inland catch made up 16.9 %. Dr. Mazid and Mr. Alam stated that marine capture fisheries contributed only 24 % to the estimated fish production of 1.08 m tons in Bangladesh, which implies inland fisheries are much more important in Bangladesh. In contrast to the present status of Bangladesh fisheries, approximately 2 % of the total fishery catch was produced by both inland fisheries and aquaculture in Japan. Most Japanese fishery catches consist of marine aquatic animals especially of these captured by offshore fisheries, although the amount of both total and offshore catches have been remarkably reduced in recent years (Figure 2). The reason for the marked difference in fisheries between the two countries is caused mainly by topological characteristics of each country. Japan is surrounded by the sea, resulting in the seventh largest country of the world possessing wide 200 nautical mile national fishery zones. On the contrary, freshwater areas of Japan are small comparing with those of Bangladesh due to the cover of the forest occupying two-thirds of the land area, whereas Bangladesh is mostly composed of low lying plains crossed by innumerable water courses. Japan is lacking in large rivers such as Padma and other riverine areas in Bangladesh. This is the reason why Japanese freshwater aquaculture is poor in comparison to Bangladesh. In addition to the difference mentioned, social and economical requirements characterize aspects of fisheries for each country.

An example for another differences between the two countries may be observed in the trade of fish and fishery production. Japan imported fishery commodities of 14,187,149 thousand dollars and exported those of 766,952 thousand dollars in 1993 (Table 1). Bangladesh, on the contrary, imported 160 thousand dollars of fishery commodities while exported 168,290 thousand dollars. These numerals demonstrated Japan is a country of imports, although its fishery production is eight times larger than that of Bangladesh. The amount of Japanese imports of fishery commodities is the second in value following oil imports in 1993 (Figure 3). Shrimps were the highest imported fishery commodity in value and subsequently tunas and billfishes, salmon, crabs, cod, octopii, and squids in due order.

The total amount of fishery commodities for domestic use in Japan in 1993 attained 12,030 thousand tons, of which 8,013 thousand tons was produced by Japanese fisheries and the rest was imported from other countries. However, approximately one third of fishery commodities (3,566 thousand tons) was not used for human consumption but for other purposes as bait, feed or fertilizers. A typical example is Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus ). Although the total amount of the catch attained 1,714 thousand tons showing the highest catch in Japan, 40% of the catch was used as feed for aquaculture or as bait for longlines, and 30% was consumed as fish oil, feed for animals and fertilizers (Figure 4). only 3 % was directed for human consumption as fresh or chilled and 3 % as canning. Notwithstanding, fisheries commodity is still important protein resources for Japanese people, because fish and fish products have made up 40 % (18.5 g in 1992) of animal protein consumed per capita per day for these five years in Japan (Figure 5). Thus, Japanese people consume a large quantity of fishery commodities not only produced in Japan itself but also imported from foreign countries.

It is said that total catches of fish cannot be increased by noticeable amounts in most ocean region in the world (Laevastu, 1993). Therefore, it is needed to learn how to manage fisheries stock to obtain the maximum return from aquatic ecosystem as well as how to enhance aquaculture production without destroying aquatic environments.

References

1. Government of Japan (1995): 1993 Annual Report on State of Fishery, 255pp.

2. Department of Statistics and Information, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in Japan (1995): 1993 Yearbook of Production Statistics for Fisheries and Aquaculture , 296pp.

3. Department of Statistics and Information, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in Japan (1995): 1993 Yearbook of Circulation Statistics for Fishery Commodities, 482pp.

4. FAO (1995): 1993 FAO Yearbook of Fishery Statistics - catch and landing. Vol 76, 687pp.

5. FAO (1995): 1993 Yearbook of Fishery Statistics - commodities. Vol 77, 425pp.

6. Laevastu, T. (1993): Marine Climate, Weather and Fisheries. Fishing News Book, London, 201pp.

Table 1: Imports and exports of Bangladesh and Japan by seven commodity group in 1993. q and v show quantity in tonnes and value in one thousand dollars, respectively.

World Total Catch

By Inland and Marine Waters, 1993

Figure 1: Trend of world fishery catches Figure 2: Japanese catches by kinds of fisheries

Figure 3: Value of main imports in Japan in 1993

Figure 4: Percent of consumption by 1993

Figure 5: Source of animal protein for Japanese people

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