Abstract:

The paper aims to describe and analyse the consumption of fish and fish products in the Republic of Moldova, from the perspective of the customs, traditions, behaviour and preferences of the consumers in the city of Cahul. The results of the study can be extended and complemented in order to correspond to the national level. The Republic of Moldova is a country without access to the Black Sea, the traditional consumption of fish being based mainly on catches made from natural water bodies or on the production from domestic aquaculture. At present, a significant part of the fishery products present on the food market of the Republic comes from imports, the national sector being quite modest lately. From a demographic point of view, there are about 2,500 localities in the Republic of Moldova, where almost four million people live. The purpose of the paper was to obtain information on the attitudes of the Moldovan citizens related to the consumption of fish and fishery products, which would allow the development of national and local strategies towards increasing the consumption of these products. The research was aimed at the municipality of Cahul, with a population of about 40,000 inhabitants, representing 1% of the population of the republic, on a sample of 400 persons, respectively about 0.1% of the total national population. The research shows that there are favourable conditions for increasing the national consumption of fish and for developing the domestic production, given the consumer preferences for indigenous fish species. The development of the national fisheries sector is possible and necessary in view of the natural resources available on the national territory. It is recommended to create a national strategy to support the Moldovan fisheries sector, based on the protection of the natural fishery, to increase the share of aquaculture, to develop and implement modern technologies that will lead to the diversification of indigenous fishery products on the market and to the consumption demand. It is necessary to maintain a permanent communication between fish farmers and consumers, because correct and timely information from producers stimulates the production and directs it towards certain products demanded by the market. At the same time, proper fishery production can lead to rational consumption, can cause changes in the consumer mentality and attitudes and can positively influence the health of the population. We consider the work to be useful for the academic environment, due to the scientific results obtained, for the business environment for the potential development directions of the market, as well as for the officials from the Republic of Moldova for the restoration of the national fisheries sector.