Balfegó deputy director Juan José Navarro (left) pictured with the aquaculture cage structures prior to installation. The 50m-diameter cages are designed to submerge up to 18 meters during storms.
Photo: Balfegó.
A new pilot project led by the Basque technology center AZTI and Balfegó, a leading company in the capture, feeding, research, and commercialization of bluefin tuna, aims to revive bluefin tuna fishing in the Cantabrian Sea.
The pilot project, involves the installation of two innovative submersible aquaculture cages 3.7 nautical miles (approximately 6.85 kilometers) off the coast of the traditional fishing port of Getaria, Gipuzkoa, where live tuna will be caught and fattened as part of an ambitious recovery effort.
Bluefin tuna fishing in this region has become less viable over time, the project partners point out. Due to the smaller size of the fish in the Cantabrian Sea, a large portion of Euskadi's fishing quota has been transferred to other Spanish regions.
In an attempt to reverse this trend, the pilot project, known as Itsasbalfegó, will collaborate with the Basque fishing fleet to capture live tuna using purse seine methods. Once caught, the tuna will be transferred to specially designed submersible cages to be fattened and monitored.
The project is set to begin in autumn 2024 with tests on the cages' buoyancy, submersion capabilities, and resistance to the harsh Cantabrian winter weather. A pilot project for fattening the fish will follow in the summer of 2025.
Project leaders hope to establish a successful model for bluefin tuna farming that could lead to the installation of additional cages by 2026, depending on fishing quotas allocated to fattening projects.
"The main challenge will be to determine if it’s feasible to use purse seine techniques for bluefin tuna fishing in the Bay of Biscay. If successful, and if the fattening process in cages works, this project could have a very positive impact on the Basque economy and society, allowing us to increase the value of fishing quotas, improve product quality, and optimize fisheries management," said Juan José Navarro, deputy director of Balfegó, in a media release.
The initiative has already passed a rigorous review process, gaining the approval of both Spanish and European regulatory bodies, the project partners confirmed. It has also received the endorsement of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which will assess the project’s environmental and economic viability.
Monitoring is a key element of the project, which includes the deployment of state-of-the-art sensors and cameras to track water quality and biological activity around the cages in real-time.
Navarro noted that Balfegó have operated a similar facility off the coast of L'Ametlla de Mar in the Mediterranean since 2004, but "the Cantabrian Sea presents unique challenges, especially in winter," he said.
The cages, each with a diameter of 50 meters, are designed to submerge up to 18 meters during storms, minimizing damage and safeguarding the fish.