Food safety standards and their effects on Iran's fish exports

Food safety standards are one of the major non-tariff barriers of global trade. We investigate their effects on fish international trade patterns, especially for the developing countries. The main objective of this study is to investigate the role of mercury standards on Iran’s fish exports. We utilize the gravity model  analysis based on balanced panel data model, covering eight importing countries over the 2006-2015 period. The estimated coefficient of mercury standard supports the hypothesis that fish safety standards are one of the important factors affecting fish exports. Moreover, regulation similarity between countries could increase fish trade. Other explanatory variables of geographical distance between countries, trade agreement between countries and real exchange rates also have a significant effect on fishery product exports. The results indicate that Iran’s fish exports are negatively correlated with mercury standards of importers. As a result, adapting fisheries product standards and producing with the methods to deal with mercury standard imposed by importing countries is crucial for increasing Iran’s fish exports.