Seafood Products Enhancement: The Case of Artisanal Fishing in France

Abstract

Fishermen, who initially harvest the resource, usually content themselves with landing and selling the raw material. It is the food processing industry, wholesalers, distributors and retailers that create added value from the fish by transforming it or/and differentiating different types or quality grades. Focussing upon Brittany, Normandy and the Channel coasts of Northern France, we observed that actors of the channel of market could also play their part in adding value to seafood products. A pilot study was made among 18 fishermen, 18 wholesale firms, 11 seafood products department supervisors in supermarkets and hypermarkets and 37 fishmongers at the beginning of 1999. These 84 market studies focussed on the seven methods used to add value: modification of fishing techniques; introduction of quality improvements; differentiation between fish, shellfish and crustaceans; policies of certification or collective brands; economic integration in the sector; creation of value added products; information and promotion to consumers. After recalling the various reasons for adding value to seafood products, the results of our market study of 84 professionals are presented in this paper.