SLOWING SALES OF TILAPIA IN THE US: WHY AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO RETURN TO RAPID GROWTH  

Tilapia sales in the US have stalled during 2015 and 2016.  Sales of live and fresh whole fish have been static, with prices soft, especially when compared to increased sales of higher priced salmon and shrimp.  Supplies have increased slightly on a global basis with a global production estimate for 2015 of 5,576,800 mt.  China continued its position as the single largest producer (1,800,000 mt in 2015). China's exports to the US slowed in 2015 and 2016, but increased significantly to sub-Saharan Africa and to the Middle Eastern Gulf States.  Indonesia continues as the second biggest producer with over 1,100,000 mt of production.  Indonesia's exports did not increase much but domestic demand grew significantly.  

The weakness in the US markets seems to be most attributable to a vast increase in social media questioning of quality and nutrition of tilapia. Three story lines seem to be driving these offerings on the web.  First, is a rebirth of the discredited journal article claiming that tilapia was less healthy than bacon or donuts, and a local newspaper headline repeating the claim while trying to grab attention.  Second, is a story of unknown origin, reporting that tilapia in East Asia are fed animal wastes, poultry or hogs in most versions.  Third, was a 2011 New York Times article titled, Tilapia, the Perfect Factory Fish.  

The first article was widely refuted by most nutrition experts at time it was first published, and a year later by Young (2009), but of course little of this has picked up by the media.  The second story has been harder to trace.   Brown et al. (2014) published an article pointing out that animal wastes and manures are frequently used as fertilizers in ponds and that even if fish swim up and grab these materials, they almost instantly spit them out.  The racist tone of most of these web stories ignore the fact that American or European farmers using the same materials are applauded as organic farmers.  The third story from the New York Times was relatively even in tone and mostly accurate, but the headline and a few comments have been widely reported out of context.  A description of other efforts to combat these representations will be presented.