Changing Seafood Economy: Understanding China’s Increasing Appetite for Gulf of Maine Seafood

Principal Investigator: Fei Chai (Marine Sciences, UMaine)

Partners: Joshua Stoll (Marine Sciences, UMaine); Ziwen Ye (Marine Sciences, UMaine)

Abstract: The purpose of this planning initiative is to develop a proposal to study the factors that are reshaping the seafood trade dynamic between the US and China, with a particular emphasis on Maine exports. This research is motivated by a recent federal policy decision that encourages seafood trade to China and, in Maine, the surge of seafood exports. In understanding the socioeconomic and cultural drivers behind this economic frontier, we aim to help Maine’s seafood industry navigate this uncertain transition and anticipate future market shifts.