Frozen seafood demand rises as monsoon fishing ban reduces fresh fish supply

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  • Frozen seafood demand rises as monsoon fishing ban reduces fresh fish supply

According to the domestic seafood market, demand for frozen seafood has risen significantly due to the decline in the supply of fresh marine fish in the local market.
The reduction in the supply of fresh marine fish is due to the current three-month monsoon-season fishing ban imposed to conserve Myanmar’s marine fish resources. As a result, fewer fresh marine fish are entering the market.
Each year during the monsoon season, restrictions are placed on marine fishing activities in order to prevent the depletion of fish resources during the breeding season. During this period, consumers in the domestic market mainly rely on farmed freshwater fish and frozen marine fish stored in cold storage facilities.
At present, farmed freshwater fish such as rohu, river catfish and climbing perch, along with frozen marine fish, prawns and squid, are selling well in the market. In particular, fish fillets and frozen prawns are proving especially popular among consumers.
Currently, cold storage factories in Yangon are distributing frozen fish, prawns, crabs and squid to the market on a daily basis. In addition, some seafood products caught by small-scale inshore fishing boats are also continuing to enter the market. —ASH/KZL

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