Competition between farmed and wild salmon: the Japanese salmon market

This article examines the Japanese market for salmon. This market is of interest, since it is the largest and most diversified salmon market in the world with wild and farmed species, from Europe and South and North America, competing in the same market. In contrast to the European Union (EU)- and U.S.-markets, there have been neither trade conflicts nor trade restrictions. The Japanese market can hence provide information about the impact of bringing substantial quantities of a new product into a market, and the effect of large-scale aquaculture on traditional fisheries. In this article, market integratlon between wild and fanned salmon on the Japanese market is examined, using both bivariate and multivariate cointegration analysis. Tests for the Law of One Price are also conducted. The results indicate that the species are close substitutes on the market, and that the expansion of fanned salmon has resulted in price decreases for all salmon species.