Review of marine fishery status along the supply chain in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This paper provides a broad review of marine fishery including, coastal, offshore fisheries, and status of fish freshness quality along with the supply chain and fisheries management issues and opportunities. Past two decades of the marine fishery industry is compared from harvest to the consumer, reviewed parameters which related to fish freshness and shelf life throughout the marketing network and find out drawbacks or obstacles or problems of quality of the fish. Poor hygienic practices of deck handling, storing, fish landing sites, handling of fish, fish stalls, cleaning, gutting, cutting and use of other related equipment were emphasized on previous researches. Those factors were affected to freshness quality, shelf life, heavy losses and finally economic value. The relationship between fish quality and freshness correlate with six factors, but some factors not yet implemented for quality assurance in Sri Lankan fishery industry. Using modern technology, the rapid quality indicators can be used other than the sensory evaluation to determine the freshness of the fish.