Abstract

This paper describes the development of mullet culture in Kouhu Township, Yunlin County. It argues that the ‘quality’ of its product, mullet roe, is key to making the mullet aquaculture industry profitable, and thus a key factor in stabilizing the local economy. Through in-depth interviews with fish-farmers and field observation of the aquaculture environment, this paper applies theories about quality in agro-food research to analyze the various elements that constitute the ‘quality’ of the mullet roe. The study finds that the life cycle of cultured mullet is usually two to three years, during which the implementation of various stages, including fry selection, fish raft environmental management, egg retrieval methods, processing technology, product evaluation and grading, and marketing strategies, etc., are closely related to the quality construction of the final product, mullet roe. The quality construction of mullet roe products not only increases its market value, but also enhances its environmental effects. Following the commodity chain back to the production end, this paper illustrates how the quality discourse affects the mode of production and the quality of the coastal area environment.