Fishing ships have been granted permission to catch red tuna in the Mediterranean sea until the 24th of June. According to efeagro.com, this year's season is expected to be short.
Spain is the European country that catches the highest amount of red tuna, with a share of 3,534 tonnes (approximately 18.38 per cent of the total global catch). Altogether, Europe has a share of 11,203 tonnes of tuna.
The Spanish national fleet, comprised of six ships, gathers the majority of the national quota, leaving some tuna for private ships from Almería, Canarias or the Basque Country. Four of the six national ships operate with the Balfegó Group, based in L'Ametlla de Mar, Tarragona.
Red tuna is a very popular ingredient for sushi - its main export destination is Japan - however in recent years there has been an increase demand for the fish in Europe, especially in Spain.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Gabriela Guédez. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
