Production standards and technical progress in aquaculture are advancing so rapidly that a lot of consumers can no longer follow developments.
Although fish and seafood products have a positive image in Germany and are generally perceived as contributing towards a healthy diet per capita consumption has for years remained about a quarter behind the global average. One reason for this is the concern that many consumers have with regard to overfishing of the seas or unsustainable aquaculture methods. Internet portals are now to enlighten the public by providing objective information which could dispel such prejudices.
According to Germany’s Society for Consumer Research (Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung) German consumers spent about 3.5 billion euros on fishery products in 2014. Not a bad result at all but, given an average population of 80 million, sales could in fact be expected to exceed that sum. Per capita consumption of fish and seafood in Germany has for years remained persistently at a level of between 14 and 15 kilograms which is an unsatisfactory result for a highly developed and prosperous industrial nation. The reasons for the relatively low demand for seafood are numerous and varied. On the one hand most consumers are aware that fish is one of the most valuable foods we have and thus an important part of a healthy diet. On the other hand the tradition of eating fish is not very deeply rooted in much of the country – it is mainly served on special occasions and at holidays such as Easter, Christmas or New Year. And that is also why the general level of knowledge about certain fish species and products, as well as their origin and preparation, is rather limited.
Germany’s fish industry is dependent on imports
Germany’s fish processing industry has adjusted to this situation and offers a range of mainly frozen ready meals that are also exported. Exports account for nearly one quarter of sales. More than 85% of German fish demand is satisfied by imports. The country’s own fishing capacity has shrunk steadily over the years and in 2014 there were only 7 German fishing and processing vessels in operation in the deep sea. The fleet of cutter and coastal fishing vessels comprises 1,485 vessels, and 1,139 of them measure under 12 metres. With that, German fishing vessels account for only three per cent of the EU fishing fleet. The overwhelming dominance of imported fish products is also reflected in the preferred presentation forms in the retail sector. Frozen products continue to be well to the top of consumer favourites and in 2014 they accounted for nearly one third (30%) of sales. They were followed by canned products and marinades (26%), crustaceans and molluscs (14%) and smoked products (12%). Although fresh fish has only a relatively low market share of 9% this sector is very dynamic. Discounters, in particular, have contributed to this development since they took fresh fish products (kitchen-ready whole fishes, fillets and portions) packed in modified atmosphere (MAP) into their range. Salmon fillet is particularly popular, with sales volume rising almost tenfold between 2012 and 2015, but also cod, pollock, plaice, trout and dorade. And indeed, discounters play a central role in fish sales today, for 49% of total fish product sales in Germany are sold via this sales channel. Supermarkets account for nearly 37% and fishmongers for only 6%. Alaska pollock ranks first among the five most popular fish species with a market share of 22.9% in 2014, ahead of salmon (18.7%), herring (14.5%), tuna species (12.5%) and trout (5.5%).
One of the major problems facing the German fish industry when it comes to marketing their products is the deep mistrust that many consumers have towards fishing and aquaculture. In spite of the growing flood of MSC products on the market (in Germany alone over 4,200 products with the MSC label are available at the retailer’s) a lot of people are not convinced that the fishing sector is operated sustainably. And they think that aquaculture destroys the environment, pays little attention to animal welfare, and uses drugs and chemicals to combat diseases. Negative examples of salmon that have been treated with antibiotics, mangroves that have been destroyed by shrimp farms, or pangasius that have been farmed in heavily polluted ponds persist in the minds of consumers who are generally willing to believe unsubstantiated rumours and suspicions. The repeated allegations of some environmental NGOs and a large number of negative reports in magazines and on TV make no small contribution to these concerns. Of the 115 fish and crustacean species that are listed in the new Greenpeace shoppers guide only carp fully complied with the dubious criteria. Such recommendations are supposed to help consumers to choose and eat only fish species that are farmed in an acceptable manner or are not threatened by overfishing.
Fish Information Centre supports the fish industry
Already in 1997 companies and organisations from the German fish industry, among them the deep sea fishery and the fish processing industry, the fish wholesale and retail trades, and fish caterers founded the Fish Information Centre (Fisch-Informationszentrum FIZ) with the aim of informing, enlightening and advising the public objectively about producers and products. Over the course of the years FIZ has become the place to go to get information and find answers to any questions concerning fish. The centre is supported by a large number of experts from the fish industry and cooperates with specialists from research and science. Through specific consumer information, regular reports and interviews for the daily, industry and consumer press as well as the preparation and dissemination of current market research data FIZ aims to further upgrade the perception of fish, crustaceans and mollusc products and highlight their significance for a modern, healthy diet (www.fischinfo.de).
Objective basic data on the state of fish stocks
At the end of 2008 on the initiative of the “Roundtable Sustainable Fisheries” of the Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) the idea arose to set up an internet data file on the basis of scientific information on the stock situation of commercially fished marine stocks. Up to this point in time there had been no easily understandable (in German language), scientifically correct and publicly accessible data collection on the state and sustainable usage of fish stocks that are relevant for the German market. Already in 2009 the prototype of the new internet platform “Fischbestände online” was presented at ANUGA in Cologne. It makes use of the expertise of the Thünen Institute (Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries) and the technical administration is in the hands of the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) (www.fischbestaende.portal-fischerei.de).
“Fischbestände online” provides comprehensive current i
nformation on the state of fish stocks that are of significance for the German market. In addition to a brief introduction to the different species the information is broken down into individual fish stocks whose development can vary widely in the different reproduction units. At the moment the database includes 130 fish stocks of 30 worldwide fish species and it is constantly being expanded. It offers important information that can be relevant for the appraisal of a sustainable fishery. As common in scientific practice the source of the information is always given. This offer is geared to the interested public, but also and in particular to companies from trade and the processing sector to make it easier for them to pay increased attention to sustainability in their fish buying policy on the basis of scientifically accurate information. Of course, environmental associations, school children, students and press representatives can also use the website as a source of information. The data, facts and information are as a rule updated annually on the basis of reports published by international scientific organisations. “Fischbestände online” provides information but refrains from making any judgement – this is then left to the user. This internet offer makes a valuable contribution to sustainable usage of marine resources and enables greater objectivity and thus more knowledgeable debate on fisheries.
Understandable presentation of detailed knowledge on aquaculture
The third pillar in the comprehensive information concept was recently introduced: the web platform “Aquakulturinfo” (www.aquakulturinfo.de). This website also addresses the general public, consumers and businesses in the aquaculture sector, fisheries and trade. “Aquakulturinfo” provides comprehensive information on all the various aspects of aquaculture, for example aquaculture technology, the farmed species, the different feeds that are used, reproduction, genetics, and animal welfare. And with that it presents for the first time a databased encyclopaedia for this important sector of food production. The website “Aquakulturinfo” is supervised by employees of the Leibniz Institute for Water Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) who organize and update the information on the basis of scientifically recognized standards. This gives interested users direct access to well-founded information from many areas of aquaculture which can be further deepened as required thanks to the fact that all the information includes references for further reading.
With the Fisch-Informationszentrum (FIZ) and the web portals Fischbestände-online and Aquakulturinfo the German public now has current, comprehensive and understandable sources of information available with which representatives from science and industry can finally confront the countless speculations, unproven assertions and rumours that abound in this important sector.
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