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When we think of seafood, our minds instantly go to the fish from the oceans. However, seafood is not at all limited to just that. There are approximately tens of thousands of different varieties of seafood available worldwide. If asked in simple terms, seafood is simply sea life in any form that can be eaten by humans. Some of the most common types of seafood include lobster, shrimp, salmon, oysters, and mussels. In Asia, seaweeds and microalgae are widely consumed as sea vegetables. The cultivation and farming of seafood is called aquaculture or fish farming.
The earliest known seafood can be pushed back to around 165,000 years ago, when a bowl full of edible shellfish was found on the southern coast of South Africa. Another evidence of this dates back to the old Stone Age (10,000 to 50,000 years ago), when the skeleton remains of a Tianyuan man from eastern Asia (a 40,000-year-old modern human) were analysed, which showed that he had regularly consumed freshwater fish. Some other discarded fish bones and cave paintings show that seafood had a major role in survival during ancient times.
When you have eaten 2 to 3 servings of shellfish or fish every week, you significantly:
Despite being the most nutrient-rich food group on Earth, there is still a lot of confusion and myths around the ways of consuming seafood and its benefits. Let's explore whether those are true or false, one query at a time:
Aquaculture has become an increasing source of seafood, especially between 1996 and 2011. The world's aquaculture grew from 26.7 MT to 63.6 MT during this period. This sector is expected to overtake the capture fisheries production in the coming years, which has already been declining since 2011. Hence, the seafood industry is now reaching heights in every part of the world, when it comes to production, consumption, and trade. The USA is the top importer of seafood, which consumes about 90% of the imported seafood regularly. Now, there are a lot of factors that drive the rising demand for seafood all over the world. Those are as follows:
The health benefits of seafood is only possible because of the nutrients present in different types of seafood. So, let’s look at the nutrient content of some common seafood mentioned below:
In the highly competitive market of global seafood trades, it is the quality of your seafood that will set you apart from other exporters. Here is what most different types of seafood buyers (like lobster meat buyers, crab meat buyers, or any fresh fish buyers) seek from the suppliers, in terms of the seafood’s quality:
1. Freshness: clear eyers, firm flesh, vibrant colors
2. Odor: mild and ocean-like scents
3. Skin (if present): Shiny and metallic
4. Texture: firm and elastic, free form bruises of discoloration
5. Microbiological testing: free from harmful bacteria (Salmonella)
6. Labeling: accurate species, origin, production method (wild or farmed), expiration dates
7. Traceability: Detailed record of the source
8. Sourcing process: legal and ethical labor
9. Certifications: valid health certificates (FDA Seafood HACCP, FSSAI, etc)
As a seafood exporter, you need to make sure that you’re including as many varieties of seafood as possible. To scale up, you can also add other related categories that are a processed form of seafood or related to it in some way. Here is the list of items you can add:
The global seafood trade industry is evolving every year with the changing consumer preferences, seafood prices, and stricter regulations. Hence, understanding what the future of global trade for this commodity looks like can help you in strategising your business plan. Here is some of the crucial information about the global seafood market:
Global Market Size
Source: Fortune Business Insights
Top Importing Countries for Seafood (2024):
Source: Volza
Whether you want to sell locally in grocery stores, restaurants, or set up a seafood exporting business. Here are a few of the effective ways through which you can reach global and local markets of seafood:
1. Who is the biggest consumer of seafood?
China is the world’s biggest consumer of seafood.
2. Who is the largest importer of seafood?
The USA, followed by China and Costa Rica, are the largest importers of seafood.
3. What is the most in demand seafood?
Shrimp tops the list of most demanded seafood.
4. Does India export seafood?
Yes, India exports a lot of frozen shrimp to countries like the USA, China, etc.
5. What are the main types of seafood exported from India?
Fish, frozen shrimp, cuttlefish, and squid are some of the seafood types that are exported from India.
6. What is India's rank in global seafood exports?
India stands as the 4th largest exporter of seafood in the world.
7. Which country is rich in seafood?
The country that is rich in seafood is China.
8. What's the most expensive seafood?
Bluefin tuna is considered the most expensive seafood in the world because of its fatty flavor and use in high-end food like sushi.
9. What certifications are required for exporting seafood?
HACCP, ISO certifications, IEC, registration certificate of MPEDA, and FSSAI certification are required when you export seafood.
10. What are some key trends in the global seafood export market?
The seafood export market is growing nonstop, mainly because of the rising focus on sustainability, the growth of aquaculture, and its health benefits.
11. What is the seafood HSN code?
0302 is the HSN code for fresh or chilled fish. At the same time, for frozen fish, it is 0303.
India just recorded a huge surge of 17.81% in its exports of strong shrimp in April 2025. The export value reached $0.58 billion this month. (Full story: Mathrubhumi English)
