Maw trade trade in fish Swim bladders from Africa to Hong Kong SAR

TRAFFIC’s policy brief A response to trade in high-value marine products between Africa and Asia summarises studies into seahorse, sea cucumber, and fish maw (dried swim bladder) trade; painting a picture of population declines, inadequate regulation, stretched law enforcement, and local communities impacted by illegal and unsustainable catch and trade.

Many coastal fishing communities across the continent, as well as those on the banks of Lake Victoria, rely on sustainably harvesting these products as a source of revenue. However the growth of illegal trade is not only impacting vulnerable communities, it is also starving source countries of potential trade revenue, and threatening the future sustainability of the international trade.

Along with shark fins and abalone, sea cucumbers and fish maws are highly-prized, luxury seafood products consumed as symbols of status or wealth. High demand, especially from east Asia, has resulted in an expanding marine product “gold rush”, with more than 80% of African coastal states now exporting fish maw to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region alone.

As the trade in fish maws, sea cucumbers, and seahorses from Africa to Asia increases in volume, we simultaneously see significant discrepancies in the reported imports and exports of products linked to these taxa.”

Simone Louw, Project Support Officer at TRAFFIC and author of the reports

“This warrants urgent investigation, as it indicates significant levels of unsustainable and illegal harvest and trade, which is having a detrimental impact on target marine populations, and the local fishing communities that rely on them.”

From a biodiversity perspective, sea cucumbers and many fish species harvested for their bladders are essential for the healthy functioning of marine ecosystems, with population reductions having a knock-on effect on food-webs.

Fish maws are a delicacy in east Asia and far less is known about the associated catch and trade than for the other two big luxury marine products in the study. The value of fish maws is so high that it is frequently referred to as the “cocaine of the sea” by those in the trade. In comparison to an average fish weighing more than 50 kg, which can fetch up to USD10 per kg, the swim bladder has a much higher unit value, earning approximately USD190 per kg.

Although high volumes of fish maws are exported from west African countries to east Asia, there is scarce knowledge of the specific fish species being harvested.

Because the trade in fish maws is relatively new, there is a lack of international trade controls associated with them, making fish maws an ideal cover for smuggling other illegal wildlife products, including seahorses, shark fins, and pangolin scales.

“It’s essential we avoid a repeat of the Totoaba in Mexico, where swim bladder harvests devastated the now Critically Endangered Vaquita populations. It is vital that fisheries scientists and officials understand which fish species are being harvested for the international trade so that the impacts to the wider ecosystem can be better understood,” said Simone Louw.
TRAFFIC’s policy brief A response to trade in high-value trade in marine products between Africa and Asia reveals to customs and enforcement agencies of exporting African states of the need for closer attention on these three high-value marine products.

A combination of increased regulation and closer trade scrutiny, such as the creation of specific HS codes and investigations into reporting discrepancies between African and Asian countries/territories, is urgently needed.

“Sharks and rays garner comparatively high levels of conservation and enforcement attention, as they should, but marine species such as seahorses and sea cucumbers are no less important to protect. They play a vital role in maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem, which in turn provides opportunities and sustenance for the communities that rely on them,” added Simone Louw.