Showcasing the Wild: Work Package 1

The Ornamental Fish Trade

Deconstructing the More-Than-Human Drivers of the Ornamental Fish Trade

A multi-billion dollar global industry, the ornamental fish trade thrives on bringing the ‘wild’ indoors. This has created complex global value chains between upstream activities in developing countries and major hubs like Singapore, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam. These networks enable different, geographically dispersed stakeholders to capture value and create profitable livelihood diversification options in the capture and breeding areas in the Global South. 

Existing value chain studies, however, lean heavily toward the wild-caught fish industry and business perspectives, with little attention to the captive breeding sector, the trade’s social aspects, broader environmental considerations, animal agency, and trade standards. To complete the missing pieces of the puzzle, this work package investigates the structure of global value chains that fuel fish commodification, product and process standardization, and discussion and negotiation of social and environmental externalities in the industry. 

Focus questions

The work package addresses the following four sets of questions:

How are the global value chains of tropical freshwater fish organized, and how is the value capture distributed throughout the chains?

In what ways do standards (product, process) and changing consumer preferences affect the trade practices and value chains?

How do specific characteristics and traits affect decision-making in traded species? Are there certain features or regulations that de-facto exclude them from the trade?

What are the impacts on livelihoods and the environment? How are the social and environmental externalities discussed and negotiated in the industry?

Background

Involved Members

Boris Braun

Prof. Dr. Boris Braun

Institute of Geography, University of Cologne

Principal Investigator: Showcasing the Wild: Commodification and Standardization in Tropical Freshwater Fish Value Chains – Current and Historical Perspectives

Ajeng Larasati

Ajeng Larasati (M.Sc.)

Doctoral Researcher: Showcasing the Wild: Commodification and Standardization in Tropical Freshwater Fish Value Chains – Current and Historical Perspectives

Project Manager of  Work Package 1 – The Ornamental Fish Trade