Search results

This study aims to explore marketing strategies that UK fish farming businesses can use to gain a competitive advantage. The marketing strategies examined include product branding and core competencies, sales promotion, market positioning and segmentation.

A survey through an online questionnaire was mailed to five randomly selected trade associations of UK fish farming businesses and distributed to their registered members, of which 200 responded. Both male and female genders with different age groups and levels of experience in the UK fish farming business participated. In addition, ten articles were sampled for a systematic review.

Results show that UK fish farming businesses could increase sales by using ecolabels in product branding to attract premium prices, build consumer confidence and using high-quality packages for fish products will keep fish fresh for a longer period.

The scope of this research is limited to the UK. The findings cannot be generalised and used for other jurisdictions because of variable economic and market conditions.

A significant recommendation from this case study is that fish farming businesses need to be creative and innovative in ways such as leveraging branding, sales promotions and core competencies to win the trust and confidence of consumers. Most importantly, each fish farming business should know the specific marketing strategy that works for them; this case study shows that not all branding and sales promotion techniques enhance competitiveness. The scope of this research is limited to the UK. The findings cannot be generalised and used for other jurisdictions because of variable economic and market conditions.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the information needs and accessibility for fish farmers in the Southern high lands of Tanzania.

Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 240 fish farmers in six selected districts from three regions in Southern high lands of Tanzania. Focus groups and key informants’ interviews were also used to collect qualitative data from 54 fish farmers in the selected districts.

Findings indicated that fish farmers highly needed information related to water treatment (management), spawning operations and fish preservation and processing. However, it was found that access to these categories of information was very low. In addition, findings indicated that age, education and income have a statistical significant and positive relationship with farmer’s information accessibility at p < 0.05. On the other hand, age, amount of fish harvested, education and farming experience had statistical significant and negative relationship with farmer’s information at p < 0.05.

The study provides a deep understanding of information needs and accessibility for fish farmers in the in Southern high lands of Tanzania, which will be assisting in in designing focused, need-based and user-oriented information infrastructure in fish farming.

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate whether welfare issues are important to consumers also relating to fish. Second, it aims to identify segments based on animal and fish welfare issues, environmental concerns and ambivalence about farmed fish.

A questionnaire was designed to investigate consumers' concern for environmental and animal and fish welfare issues together with variables used in profiling segments in the study. The measurement scales used here are adapted from validated scales in previous studies. The survey was conducted in Valencia, Spain, among 450 randomly‐chosen respondents.

Animal welfare issues related to farmed fish do not seem to be important for the consumers in Valencia. There are, however, differences among the consumers relating to general environmental and animal welfare concern, and ambivalence. Three segments were identified: the unconcerned (27 per cent), the wild fish concerned (34.5 per cent) and the ambivalent (38.5 per cent). Attitudes toward farmed fish, the importance of natural food and social class were most important in profiling differences between clusters.

The findings indicate that the animal welfare issue has not yet become a barrier for farmed fish in Valencia. The results may help fish‐farming companies to find their target group among the consumers, based on environmental and animal welfare issues. The results also indicate that there are consumers who are somewhat ambivalent about farmed fish. For this group, more information and knowledge can change their attitudes so they become more positive toward farmed fish in the future.

The paper provides useful information for fish‐farming companies or the authorities planning healthy‐eating campaigns targeting fish.

This paper aims to examine the challenges facing fish farmers in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in information sharing on fish farming.

This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. It involved 240 fish farmers who were randomly selected. Questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs), observation and key informant’s interviews were used as methods of data collection. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse quantitative data, while content analysis was used for qualitative data.

It was found that the most frequently used ICTs by fish farmers in sharing agricultural information were mobile phones, radio and television. Also, the study revealed that major challenges facing fish farmers in sharing information include unfavourable radio or television broadcasting time, high cost of acquiring and maintenance of ICT facilities, lack of training on ICT, poor network connectivity and low level of literacy. Moreover, it was further found that there was negative significant relationship (P < 0.05) between challenges associated with the use and degree of ICT usage by fish farmers.

The study is original with the exception of areas where citations have been made. Besides, it provides awareness and understanding of the challenges facing fish farmers in ICT usage in information sharing on fish farming, and this will enable improvement of timely provision and access to relevant information and hence improved fish farming production.

Fish is considered a healthy and pure food. However, modern aquaculture introduced a range of potentially controversial issues, which may impact public perceptions. The purpose of this paper is to compare consumer perceptions of the production and consumption of wild and farmed fish in Europe.

In total, 28 focus groups were conducted in the capitals of seven European countries: France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain and the UK, between January‐March 2009. Data were analyzed with the qualitative software Atlas/ti.

Focus group discussions centre on a broad range of themes: economic risks and benefits, environmental concerns, human health issues, trust and nature. Europeans weigh up the scientific risks and benefits of farmed versus wild fish. However, when considering non‐scientific concerns, such as trust and nature, consumers prefer wild to farmed fish. Respondents have less trust in the production and consumption of farmed fish than in their wild counterparts, as the former are perceived as unnatural and unfamiliar.

Results have implications for the development of public communication strategies. The predicted growth of aquaculture highlights the importance of communicating the risks and benefits of farmed fish and fish farming effectively. The authors' findings show that a communication needs to incorporate moral and ethical risk dimensions, as these are the distinguishing areas leading to consumer preference of wild over farmed fish.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the association between helminth infections, dietary parameters and cognitive performance, as well as the predictors of undernutrition among school-age children (SAC) living in helminth-endemic fishing and farming communities in Ghana.

This was a cross sectional study involving 164 (9 to 12 years old) SAC from fishing (n = 84) and farming (n = 80) communities of the Kwahu Afram Plains South District of the Eastern Region of Ghana, using structured questionnaires and anthropometric and biochemical assessments.

Overall, 51.2% of the children were males, with no significant gender difference between the communities (p = 0.88). Average age of the children was 10.5 ± 1.25 years, with no significant difference between the farming and fishing communities (p = 0.90). About 53.1% of all children were anemic, with no significant differences between farming versus fishing communities (p = 0.87). Helminth-infected children were significantly anemic (p = 0.03). Mean serum zinc level of all children was 13.1 ± 4.57 µmol/L, with zinc deficiency being significantly higher in children in the farming community (p < 0.0001). About 7.5% of all the children were underweight, whilst 13.8% were stunted with a higher proportion of stunting occurring among older children (p = 0.001) and girls (p = 0.117). There was no significant difference in the Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices cognitive test scores between the two communities (p = 0.79). Predictors of anemia were helminthiasis and pica behavior.

These findings are relevant and have the prospect of guiding the development of intervention programs in addressing the persistent problem of nutritional and cognitive deficits among SAC.

The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to assess how concerned Norwegians are about fish welfare; second, to investigate Norwegians’ willingness to pay for salmon filet made from welfare-assured farmed fish with high levels of welfare; and third, to examine Norwegian opinions about the appropriate way to pay for better welfare standards in fish production.

On the basis of two focus group sessions, a survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to a representative sample of 2,147 Norwegian households via e-mail.

Results showed that the Norwegian public is concerned about fish welfare and is willing to pay a price premium for products made from welfare-assured fish. Norwegian consumers do not, however, want to be the only ones paying for fish welfare, as the main responsibility for fish welfare lies with producers and the Government.

In this study willingness to pay is measured using a hypothetical choice experiment. Values people express as citizens, however, may not accurately predict true consumer behaviour. This is generally referred to as “citizen-consumer duality” and may have affected the results.

The study shows that there is a national market for welfare-assured fish products, but education initiatives focusing on fish farming and fish welfare issues would further influence the attitudes and purchasing habits of Norwegian consumers.

Although concern about animal welfare is growing in the western world, very little attention has been given to the welfare of fish. This paper aims to make up for this by presenting a study of how Norwegians view the welfare of farmed salmon.

Aquaculture is, an important animal farming activity, and fish welfare has recently become an important issue in the EU. Driving forces behind the promotion of fish welfare are demands from retailers and consumers. Given this background, it is the main objective of this paper in a Danish setting to investigate the willingness of consumers to pay for farmed rainbow trout with a quality label certifying good fish welfare. It also aims to describe consumers’ perception and consumption of farmed fish and their beliefs about fish welfare.

A contingent valuation approach was used to evaluate consumers’ willingness to pay for fish welfare, using an open‐ended elicitation technique. To determine the factors that may influence consumers’ willingness to pay for fish welfare the binomial logit model was used. Data were collected from an online survey of Danish consumers in the spring of 2009, sample size 1,000.

Of the sample, 48 percent were on average willing to pay 25 percent extra for welfare rainbow trout. Primarily women with a longer education, belonging to higher income households are willing to pay extra, also older consumers are more willing to pay more than younger consumers. Consumers who emphasize eco‐friendly production of welfare fish, freshness, and animal welfare also tend to be willing to pay extra.

While much literature has addressed animal welfare and willingness to pay for it, only a few studies have specifically considered consumers’ perception of fish welfare and their willingness to pay for welfare fish.

The aim of the paper is to gain a wide picture of competitive aspect of tuna farming industry, show its impact on the economy and society in Croatia, and to identify possibilities for improvement of current and future industry‐involved companies.

Research methodology used was desk research using benchmark of relevant published papers and analysis of official statistical data. Based on information gathered, the author developed its own analysis of a current state in the industry.

The paper provides an overview of tuna farming industry in Croatia, showing place for increasing the production due to stable demand but also the unused demand in domestic market. Still, there are a lot of barriers as a legal regulations, limited space and lack of supporting industries. With the involvement of companies and the country's representative bodies, the industry has potential to develop into stable economic activity.

Tuna farming is based on seacoast and thus improves the demographical picture of those, usually sparsely populated areas. Also, it encourages the fishery of small pelagic fish.

The paper analyses tuna farming industry from its economic aspects, providing information and the base for further research of its economic potential and attraction.

The salmon and trout farming industries are relatively new, expanding industries in the UK. Describes their current status and looks to the future by examining areas where progress is currently being made or where problems exist.