Concerning fisheries of Taiwan, since the fisheries production volume exceeded 400,000M.T. in 1967, have not only brought the required animal protein source to the public in Taiwan but also promoted the raise of fisheries processing industry. The goal of fisheries processing lies in
effective use of fishing harvest to upgrade its value and able to adjust supply & demand and stabilize fish price.
At present, there are about 1,400 fisheries processing plants. Besides the frozen product and can processing plants are of considerable magnitude, accounting for about 20%, the rest 80% are attributed to small magnitude, accounting for about 20%, the rest 80% are attributed to small magnitude or family type plants. Since the government has guided fisheries processing product to supply for domestic market and export from 1971, the mass fromzen product deals with baked eel, shrimp, tuna, Tilapia, milk fish, and squid, etc. Next to it is the fish can product dealing with tuna, bonito, mackerel, sea eel and milk fish, etc. Next to it is refined product mainly dealing with sea eel, shark, croaker and Lizard fish, etc. and dried smoked product, such as squid, shrimp and mullet, etc. Since the annual growth is rapid that till 1987, the export value of fisheries processing product reached NT$32.8 billion, as the top one since past years, accounting for 72% of the total export value of fisheries product for the corresponding year and 28% of the total export value for agricultural product of NT$ 115.8 billion. In the development process of agriculture, fisheries and husbandry product of R.O.C., In plays a vital role. However, since 1987, the production volume of fisheries processing product export, due to such influential factors as the keen competition of the developeing countries, value appreciation of NT Dollar, raise of labor and production cost, etc., it has gradually recessed.
In order to stabilized fisheries processing industry foundation, help fishery production to continuously maintain the keen demand trend of fisheries processing product, increase added value of fish product, and promote balance of fishery production and sale, stabilize fish price and allow fishing harvest to be effectively processing product to be refined, diversified, and recreational product. At present, such regional refied products as milk fish ball, shark ball, coal baked milk fish belly, fried spear fish meat fluff, black mullet roe, cherry blossom shrimp,etc. are available for marketing and widely accepted by consumers. From now on, the effort shall be made towards the following directions:
(1)Guide fisheries processing product industries to improve processing equipments.
(2)Research and manufacture mass fishing harvest and develop regional fisheries processing specialty.
(3)Establish"Hai Yen" as the joint brand for all fish products.
(4)Guide correct freshness preservation method of fish product and improve freshness preservation equipment.