Analysis of economic impacts of damage caused by a rumor-case study of oysters in Hokkaido

Abstract

The diet and advancement of fishing villages are supported by the production and distribution of fishery products, so the control of quality and hygiene for these products is very important. In docking areas, infrastructures and countermeasures for quality and hygiene control such as traceability systems have been established by governments and regional HACCP. However, food poisoning incidents caused by fishery products and rumors of food poisioning have brought serious economic damages to the industry and consumers. Countermeasures are needed to reduce the losses. In order to confront those conditions, the following four topics were investigated and the results are reported in this paper: (1) Analysis of economic damages caused by shellfish poisoning accidents and rumors-Case study of oysters in Akkeshi town, Hokkaido; (2) Development of scenarios for the economic damages from the accidents and the rumors; (3) Expectations of the direct economic impacts, and spread of economic impacts on the gross domestic products and analysis of damages and losses to both docking and consuming areas; (4) Consideration of the issues and ways to analyze, evaluate and control the risks in quality and hygiene of fishery products.