Analyzing Evaluation System of The Fish Wholesale Market

Fish wholesale markets are the main trading facilities in Taiwan, accounting for 40% of the total domestic demand for fish. Their functions are market information, supply and demand adjustment, hygiene management, fishery products distribution, and price settlements. These functions gradually decline in recent years. The operation of fish wholesale markets has an enormous impact on the domestic fishery production and sales channels, so its existence is of importance. However, there is currently no comprehensive fish market evaluation mechanism in Taiwan. The purposes of this study are to analyze the evaluation system of the fish wholesale markets, and by Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to comprehend viewpoints from all parties including government agencies, fish market managers, and academics. From the evaluation system, we can obtain a more objective importance ranking, and to serve as a reference for future evaluations. These markets can function with higher efficiency and improvement in all aspects.
Basing on existing regulations and the relevant literature, this study finds out the evaluation factors, using experts’ opinion to make adjustments, and the AHP to structure various factors. Then, within this framework, this study forms the questionnaire, analyzes the expert opinion, and calculates the weights of various items. This study finds that level two importance rankings are in the orders of trading process management, safety management of fishery products, market administrative management, market environment and hygiene management, and equipment maintenance and management. Trading process management and safety management of fishery products are the top two important factors, because these are the main functions of fish wholesale markets. Fish wholesale markets are the legal market place for fishery products, and their trading processes should be strictly monitored in order to pursue the fairness. Fish wholesale markets should also ensure safety of fishery products and protect the consumers from illness.