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Korean seafood imports totaled $5.93 billion in 2023, down 8.3 percent from 2022. Korean 2023 seafood imports from the United States totaled $203 million, a decrease of 11.4 percent year-to-year.

Since USDA first established a stand-alone mission area focusing on trade and international affairs in 2017, USDA’s Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and the Foreign Agricultural Service, have made significant trade policy advances to support U.S. agriculture. This series of commodity fact sheets highlights the many recent trade policy advances achieved by USDA.

Over the last couple decades, with smaller catch volumes resulting from decades of overfishing, the Turkish seafood sector pivoted and ramped up investments in aquaculture production.

The China Fisheries and Seafood Expo (CFSE) will be held from October 30th to November 1st, 2024, in Qingdao, Shandong Province. As one of the most influential and the world’s largest seafood industry show in the world, CFSE showcases various aquatic and seafood products for trade and processing.

On June 27, 2024, the Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry signed Decree No. 361/2024. The Decree extended the shelf-life validity period for imported frozen beef liver from seven to twelve months and for frozen fish from six to ten months. The decree is valid for six months, as of July 1, 2024, and expires on December 31, 2024.

Taiwan's overall seafood imports declined to US$1.9 billion in 2023, down 11 percent from 2022. Seafood exports from the United States, however, grew by 40 percent, and amounted to nearly US$45 million. Among the top ten foreign suppliers, the United States is the only one that expanded exports.

Spain is one of the world’s largest markets for fish and seafood. In 2023, Spain was the fourth largest importer of fish and seafood in the world after the United States, China, and Japan.

Bulgaria’s fish and seafood imports have grown steadily over the past decade and have nearly doubled. Bulgarian fish and seafood importers are seeking to expand the variety of fish available to consumers, particularly among the mid and high-value categories.

Ukraine’s total imports of fish and seafood rebounded by 28 percent in 2023 after a major war-impacted drop in 2022. The demand for seafood remains strong, although it has shifted from more expensive species to cheaper ones. Strong imports are taking place despite a 20 percent population drop, a major disposable income decline, and new and more expensive trade routes.

China remained the world's largest seafood producer in 2023, with official production estimated at 71 million metric tons (MMT), up 3.5 percent from 2022.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) is one of the largest producers and consumers of seafood in the world. In particular, live seafood products represent a significant market opportunity given the United States advanced cold chain facilities and ability to transport live seafood.

Effective January 1, 2024, Taiwan reduced the number of U.S. seafood products eligible for export to Taiwan. The change reduces the number of eligible seafood HS codes from 65 to 55.