Spain's tuna quota consumption has reached 68.71%, confirming a successful latest fishing season.
The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the latest tuna season carried out by the Basque fleet, one of the major fleets in northern Spain, has been one of the largest in the past 25 years.
According to Irekia, the online platform provided by the Basque Government for public information, of the total catch (17,868,785 kilos) by the regional fleets of northern Spain, the Basque fleet landed 10,759,127 kilos, representing 60.20% of the total catch by fleets across the country.
"The recently concluded tuna season has been very good, both in terms of catches and the size, quality, and price of the fish. The percentage may seem misleading, but the catches are very significant," said Amaia Barredo, Minister of Food, Rural Development, Agriculture, and Fisheries of the Basque Government.
The season lasted five and a half months, beginning with the first landings by the Bermeo fleet at the port of Avilés in Asturias. Their final landing took place at the Basque port of Getaria. At present, these vessels are fishing for sardines and horse mackerel.
"Once again, this confirms the importance of the tuna fishery for the Basque fleet and the significance of our vessels' catches in the national total," added Barredo.
Seventy-one percent of the catch by the Basque fleet was landed at Euskadi fish markets, reaching a first-sale value of €42,935,247.56, with an average price of €4.00 per kilo.
"A good price for tuna of a good size, between 10–12 kg. Both the handline fleet from Bermeo and the live-bait fleet, a more common technique in Gipuzkoa, have had a successful season. Both fishing methods have enjoyed a very positive campaign," concluded the minister.
In 2022, the Basque tuna fleet of Bermeo became the first in the world to be certified for its global sustainability. It received the MSC blue seal. Thus, it supports the activity of 44 ships operating in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans.
