Trade and export orientation of fisheries in Southeast Asia: Under-priced export at the expense of domestic food security and local economies

Abstract

Much of Southeast Asia's economic success is based on the under-priced export of valuable natural resources. Nowhere is this more evident than in fisheries—an important commodity in Southeast Asia, with significant export volumes contributing to the foreign exchange earnings of these countries. Existing fisheries and aquaculture policy development have lead to increased export earnings over the last decade, but have also resulted in increased extraction rates and incurred huge costs in terms of decreased local economic productivity and destruction of natural coastal resources. What is worrying is that Southeast Asian governments intend to further stimulate the export of fishery products, in particular shrimp from aquaculture, thereby increasingly threatening both domestic food security and the economic opportunities of local communities. This paper argues that: (1) current fisheries management and development policies are not contributing to domestic food security, are not profitable to the Southeast Asian macro-economy, and are doing much damage to coastal ecosystems and rural poor communities; (2) development of shrimp aquaculture has a negative impact and further expansion of the industry should be halted; (3) the considerable fisheries resources of the region should be used and managed to ensure domestic food security and economic development of the presently marginalized sectors of the population. Five recommendations that will help ensure sustainable use of coastal resources and deliver profits to the countries and communities that depend on these resources are made at the end of the paper.