Adoption of Traceability Systems by Romanian Fishery and Aquaculture Influencing Factors and Benefiits

Many countries, including Romania, implemented a traceability system to guarantee safety and security in food products. In recent years, however, the role of traceability in the control and safety of food has been identified as requiring greater transparency and regulation. The paper presents the results of an empirical study on the factors that influence Romanian fish farms and fishing enterprises to adopt the traceability system. The research model takes in consideration factors like improvement of the products quality and of food quality management mode, the highlight of the fish farms or fishing enterprises, exploiting market abroad, adaptation to health and safety of consumption demand, expanding the domestic market, ascending corporate public image, product differentiation, customer requirements, following similar enterprises, which have adopted the traceability system and the encouragement and preferential policies of government, and tests their significance in influencing the adoption of the traceability systems. Also, the potential benefits were discussed. Questionnaires were applied in different fish farms in Romania. Practical implications of the study are discussed.