Spatial Integration of Freshwater Fish Markets in the Northern Baltic Sea Area

• Main Authors: Setala, Jari, Laitinen, Jukka, Virtanen, Jarno, Saarni, Kaija, Nielsen, Max, Honkanen, Asmo
• Format: Report
• Language: English; unknown
• Published: International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade
• Subjects: Sustainable Fisheries > Congresses; Fisheries > Economic aspects > Congresses; Cointegration Analysis; Fish Markets; Market Integration; Freshwater Fish Species; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/conference_proceedings_or_journals/2801ph41j

Freshwater fish species and Baltic salmon are important to small-scale fisheries in Finland and Sweden. The formerly local markets for these species have expanded as the food trade has been opened up to international competition. In this study we use cointegration analysis to test the spatial integration of freshwater fish markets in Finland, and between Finland and Sweden. The analysed fish species are salmon (Salmo salar), perch (Perca fluviatilis), pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) and pike (Esox lucius), and the data covers producer prices from 1995 to 2004. We found that the regional producer prices in Finland were co-integrated. This indicates that the prices are determined on a wider market area. Moreover, the study suggests that Finnish and Swedish markets for Baltic salmon, whitefish, pikeperch and perch were partially integrated, while pike markets were separate. The political implication is that an essential part of the local small-scale fisheries' operational environment is determined outside the national borders, because most of the freshwater fish species are a part of the international fish market.