SHANGHAI - Shanghai customs said on Tuesday that imports of aquatic products for the January-April period had increased by more than 30 percent year on year.

Import of aquatic products grossed 34,000 tons in the first four months, up 34.7 percent year on year. The total imported value was 2.48 billion yuan (about $379 million), a year-on-year growth of 36.4 percent, Shanghai customs said in a statement.

The customs attributed the rise to vigorous demand from Chinese buyers and lowered taxes for the imports, mainly from ASEAN countries, Chile, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea.

The customs said the high-end seafood market in China is mainly dominated by overseas fishing companies.