The Japanese Market For Squid And Cuttlefish

"Japan was the world's largest producer of squid and cuttlefish until 2001, but its share of world landings has decreased sharply from 87 percent in 1950 to 16 percent in 2002. Japanese landings in 2003 of 382,000 metric tons percent of the record landings, and were the lowest in 39 years. (mt) were 49 Japan is a major market for squid and cuttlefish, utilizing an average of 672,000 mt per year during 1982-2003. this market comes from both domestic catches and imports. share of the Japanese market for squid supplied by imports increased from 13 percent in 1982 to 19 percent in 2003. 2003, imports were worth $526 million. Frozen products dominated, representing 68 percent both in volume and value in 2003. Japanese imports of frozen squid from the United States in 2003 were 6,246 mt valued at $9.2 million, percent in quantity and 39 percent in value over 1999 imports. Supply for The In an increase of 58 Prices of squid are primarily determined by supply and demand, but quality, origin, and species are also important. During 1997-2003, the highest annual average wholesale prices at Tokyo Central Wholesale Market for fresh Todarodes pacificus occurred in 1998, for frozen T. pacificus in 1997, for fresh Ommastrephes bartrami in 1997, and for Illex argentinus in 2003, which corresponded to periods of low supply of these products. Squid and cuttlefish products imported into Japan are subject to import quotas (IQ) and tariffs. To meet strong demand for squid, the Japanese government increased the IQ for fresh and frozen squid from 7,000 mt for 1971 to 53,000 mt for 1986, and then to 59,950 mt for 2004. Processed squid which have been flavored, such as smoked, prepared, or preserved products, are exempted from IQ. Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), which is not caught in Japanese waters, has been exempted from IQ since 1978. As the United States and Japan are signatories to the World Trade Organization (WTO), WTO tariffs apply to imports of squid products from the U.S. : 3.5 percent for fresh or frozen cuttlefish, 5 percent for fresh or frozen squid, 6.7 percent for smoked products, 15 percent for dried products. Tariff rates are calculated as a percentage of total cost, including insurance and freight."--Executive summary.

Humans everywhere have always been fascinated by octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish, known biologically as cephalopods. They evolved hundreds of millions of years ago and are related to molluscs such as mussels and snails. They can grow to an enormous size with eyes as big as footballs, but they still live for only a couple of years. They mate once in their lifetime and die shortly after. They have blue blood and three hearts and they can shoot out jet-black ink. They have a brain and have behaviours that could be interpreted as signs of intelligence, even though more than half of their brain is distributed in their arms. They are colour blind, but they can change the colour of their skin in a flash. They are masters of disguise and are able to alter the texture of their skin and the patterns displayed on it at lighting speed. They can also ‘taste’ using the suckers on their arms. They can move extremely fast thanks to a jet-propulsion system built into their body cavity. Although they are soft-bodied and look vulnerable, cephalopods are formidable predators. Octopuses have arms that are so strong that they can exert a force equal to hundreds of times their own body weight. Squid and cuttlefish can shoot out a tentacle to capture prey at the speed of a javelin thrown by an expert athlete. Cephalopods are, however, so much more than just fascinating creatures with strange physical characteristics. They are a nutritious, delicious protein source that has found a place for thousands of years in many food cultures around the world. As squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses are native to virtually all parts of the ocean, they are an excellent and available alternative to meat from terrestrial animals. This book is written to promote the overall place of cephalopods in home kitchens and to inspire the uninitiated to add them to their diet. It describes the many facets of their anatomy that play a central role in their potential use as healthy, diverse, and interesting food sources, with a particular emphasis on their taste and texture. By way of an assortment of recipes, the authors hope to dispel the myth that it is difficult to prepare delicious dishes using squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses. In addition, there are contributions to the on-going discussions about how marine resources can be exploited more responsibly in a sustainable manner. Ole G. Mouritsen is a professor of gastrophysics and culinary food innovation at the University of Copenhagen,president of the Danish Gastronomical Academy, and director of the Danish national research and communication centre Taste for Life. Klavs Styrbæk is a chef and leader of the gastronomic enterprise STYRBÆKS, which includes a gourmet restaurant, a cooking school, a catering service, and a product development branch.

The rapid growth in seafood trade in the past three decades has created a truly global market for fish. Written by one of the world's leading authorities on the subject, this book is the first to explore the structure, function and trends of this international market. It is invaluable for seafood traders, government officials and researchers, and has become the standard reference on the desks of all participants in and observers of the international fish and seafood trade. The first comprehensive updateable treatment of the world wide meat market place Written by one of the world's leading authorities on the seafood industry and its economics Features additional contributions from a range of specialist researchers and practitioners