Albacore, Thunnus alalunga. (Photo: Stock File)
SPAIN
Friday, August 15, 2014, 22:10 (GMT + 9)
The Secretariat of Rural and Marine Affairs of Xunta de Galicia reported that between January and 13 August, 2014 the value of albacore (Thunnus alalunga) landings in Galicia was EUR 7.8 million, representing an increase of 5 per cent over 2013.
This value corresponds to landings of more than 2,200 tonnes of albacore, 9 per cent more than in the same period last year.
This year only in Burela around 1,300 tonnes of the resource were unloaded for more than EUR 4.6 million.
According to the head of the Rural and Marine Affairs, Rosa Quintana, albacore represents one of the most important seasonal catches for the fleet of Burela and for a large part of the Galician one.
Along with the Secretary General of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MAGRAMA), Andres Hermida; and the Secretary General of marine Affairs, Juan Maneiro, Quintana visited the fish market in Burela to attend the auction, which took place at the same time as albacore survey.
The minister highlighted the advertising campaign Faino Bonito, which aims to promote the consumption of fresh albacore. As part of this campaign, single-use plastic tags that are put in each albacore specimen were distributed at Galician landing ports.
In 2013 the Galician government used over 200,000 seals, and this year it is expected to use more than 300,000 units.
These tags make it possible to secure the identification and artisanal origin of the caught albacore reaching the outlets.
Furthermore, Quintana and Maneiro also visited the facilities of Pescados Ruben in Foz to become aware of its operation. This company is engaged in processing and packaging frozen fish, and caters to large seafood commercial areas and central markets.
Last month, a team of researchers from the CEU San Pablo University reported on the existence of fraud due to the substitution of albacore with species having lower commercial value.
With the help of an immunoenzymatic technique known as ELISA, scientists determined that under the albacore label what is being sold is yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), little tunny (Euthynnus alletteratus), bullet tuna (Auxis rochei), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda).
This alternative method to the DNA testing is more effective for authentication of fishery resources due to its specificity, simplicity and sensitivity.