ABSTRACT
Direct use refers to direct human consumption, while indirect use refers primarily to the use of fish as feed for livestock. About 27 percent of world production is used for fish meal, most of which is used as feed for pigs and poultry. From 1973 to 1983 the world supply of fish for direct human consumption increased from 47 million to 60 million tons. The pattern of fish trade may be seen from the perspective of individual countries. For the United States, fish imports have greatly exceeded exports, both by value and by weight, in every year since 1930. The fish and other food which moves in international trade is only a small share of the total amount of food produced and consumed. The share of fish consumption in developed countries that is accounted for by imports is higher if nonedible fishery products are included. Rich countries use more fish than they produce, with the difference made up by imports.
