Mexico: Fishing for tuna in the Pacific has already begun
The government has given free rein to start from January 18 the 2016 fishing season for the different species of tuna in the Pacific Ocean, ending on November 18 of this year. Through the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA) in coordination with the National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA), the ban applies to protect productive periods of the commercial species of tuna. In the last 10 years there has been an average production of 138,632 tonnes of tuna, with an average growth rate of 1.48%.
Tuna fishing in Mexico is one of the most selective and sustainable as has been recognized by international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), plus capture technology used by the tuna industry allows the species is a product of high nutritional quality and high nutritional value, said the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), José Calzada.
The charge stated that the ban on tuna in the Pacific Ocean is applied, through the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA) in coordination with the National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA), in order to protect productive periods commercially important species of tuna: yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), bigeye tuna or bigeye (Thunnus obesus), bluefin (Thunnus orientalis) and skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis).
The head of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) said that the tuna is one of the main productive activities in Mexico, because it has important contribution to the national food industry, as well as the generating employment and foreign exchange.
In the last 10 years, there has been an average production of 138,632 tonnes of tuna, with an average growth rate of 1.48%; by volume and value the fishery is positioned in second place in fish production in Mexico, he said.
The secretary said that the annual value of exports of the fisheries and aquaculture sector totaled 100 million thousand dollars, and the capture and domestic consumption representing approximately 25,000 million pesos a year. The two-month temporary closure of tuna (November 18 to January 18) employers are occupied for maintenance on their boats, according to SAGARPA.
José Calzada said that Mexico’s tuna fleet is comprised of 61 tall ships, each ship has a value of approximately 20 to 30 million, making it the largest in Latin America in tuna fishing fleet. It abounded that major tuna landing ports are: Mazatlan, Sinaloa; Manzanillo, Colima, and Puerto Madero, Chiapas, which account for more than 86 percent of total downloads.
He noted that Mexican companies engaged in tuna are Pinsa Group, based in Mazatlan, Sinaloa; Maritime Industrial Group, in Manzanillo, Colima, and Herdez del Fuerte-Group in Puerto Madero, Chiapas.
During his working trip to Mazatlan, Sinaloa, held on Tuesday, Calzada Rovirosa secretary, accompanied by the national commissioner of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Mario Aguilar Sánchez, and leaders and entrepreneurs of the country’s fisheries and aquaculture sector, given the symbolic whistle Output to start catch tuna.
Source: SAGARPA
