Developing Nations Gain Nutritional Edge with Seafood Imports

Woods Hole, Mass. (July 1, 2025) — Developing countries are reaping significant nutritional benefits from seafood imports at a lower cost compared to their developed counterparts. This is primarily because wealthier nations pay extra for non-nutritional attributes like convenience, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.

The research, conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), highlights the potential impact of global seafood trade disruptions on food and nutritional security in countries reliant on these imports. “Every way we sliced the data, the outcome was the same: developing countries get more nutrition for every dollar they spend on imports compared to wealthier nations,” said Marine (Yaqin) Liu, the study’s first author and an environmental economist at WHOI.

Seafood’s Role in Global Nutrition

Seafood, sourced from both marine and freshwater environments, stands as the most traded food commodity worldwide, playing a crucial role in global food security. Over a third of the world’s population depends on seafood for at least 20% of their animal protein intake. Additionally, fish and shellfish are rich in essential nutrients, including heart-healthy fatty acids and vital vitamins and minerals like B12 and calcium.

Martin Smith, a distinguished professor of environmental economics at Duke University, emphasized that while micronutrients are often taken for granted in high-income countries due to food fortification and diverse diets, deficiencies remain a significant concern in developing nations.

Economic Analysis and Findings

The study investigated whether developing countries, which often export pricier seafood and import more affordable varieties, compromise on nutritional value. To explore this, researchers combined data from two major databases: the United Nations Comtrade, which offers global trade data on seafood, and a database from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, detailing nutritional information by seafood species and product type.

By linking these databases, the team could match nutrient content with specific seafood products. Analyzing data from 2015 to 2021, they examined 266 seafood products representing 90% of global trade. They categorized countries as developed or developing based on factors like GDP and food insecurity, reviewing 267,505 records of bilateral trade.

“We’re the first team to do this analysis in the seafood trade sector,” Liu noted, underscoring the novelty of their approach.

Key Nutritional Insights

For each trade record, the researchers calculated the nutrient content per dollar for nine nutrients, including protein, fatty acids, vitamin B12, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. Consistently, developing countries, typically low- and middle-income, paid less for nutrition in imported seafood than developed countries.

Joshua Abbott, a co-author and professor of sustainability at Arizona State University, remarked, “When it comes to seafood imports, developing countries get more nutritional bang for their buck.”

Implications for Global Trade and Health

The study also revealed that the price discrepancy is largely due to developed countries’ preference for non-nutritional seafood qualities. “Seafood consumers in the United States, Japan, the European Union, and other high-income countries are paying a high premium for getting more fresh fish into their markets, even though it’s not more nutritious,” Smith explained.

This premium on freshness allows lower-income countries to import frozen fish at a reduced cost, still obtaining crucial nutrients. From a global health perspective, these findings are promising. “We initially worried that the lower cost of seafood imports might reflect lower nutritional value,” Liu said. “But our research shows that’s not the case.”

“Our findings indicate that any disruption to global seafood trade could negatively impact nutrition in developing countries,” Liu added.

About Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is a renowned private, non-profit entity in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, committed to marine research, engineering, and education. Since its founding in 1930, WHOI has been at the forefront of understanding the ocean’s role in the global environment, combining science and engineering to advance ocean research and exploration.

Known for its multidisciplinary approach and advanced deep-sea robotics, WHOI operates the most extensive suite of ocean data-gathering platforms globally. Its scientists, engineers, and students collaborate on over 800 projects worldwide, striving to inform policies for a healthier planet. Learn more at whoi.edu.

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