Bonito fisheries. (Photo: YouTube/AztiTv)

Bonito catches grow more than 50 pc

SPAIN
Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 02:20 (GMT + 9)

Between January and mid-October 2012, the Galician auction of Burela received 1,527 tonnes of bonito, a figure which shows an increase of 56.6 per cent over the same period last year, when 550 tonnes less were sold.

This was announced by Miguel Neira, manager of the Shipowners Association of Burela SA (ABSA).

According to the available data, the Galician bonito season concluded with "positive data," since the activity was "much better" than that recorded in 2011, one of the worst seasons in recent years.

Currently, the market of Burela trades about 70 per cent of the bonito auctioned in all the docks located in Galicia, La Opinión reported.

According to Neira, the bonito fleet began this season last June with one goal: "to reach 1,600 tonnes."

Anyway, the results obtained are "satisfactory," he added.

"We have significantly improved compared to 2011, which was very bad. However, the figures belonging to 2005, 2006 or 2010 have not been reached, and they are the best ones in recent years," continued the ABSA manager.

He added, "Given the current crisis, we can be satisfied."

During the current season, the total revenue from the sale of bonito also increased: 27 per cent.

With auctions, the port raised a total of EUR 6.354 million, that is to say, USD 1,357.000 more than in the previous year.

In relation to the average price achieved for bonito, each kilogram this year stood at EUR 4.16.

This value shows a decrease from 2011, when it totalled EUR 5.13 per kg.

"These numbers have nothing to do with those in previous years, when more fish was captured, like in 2008, when the average price of a kilo of this fish was EUR 2.60," recalled Neira.

"Early in the coastal season it was higher but in the end there was a significant reduction because there were smaller specimens," he added.

"In the whole season, the balance is positive. Then, per boat it varies and it depends on how the coast season has been presented," he concluded.

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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